AoKise- Stories of the Heart
by DigimonDestined
Summary: A collection of AoKise stories, drabbles and shorts. Some may be interlinked; they're all of a variety of genres and tags; may be songs, shorts, based off image or music prompts etc. Probably going to include other pairings. Each chapter has a different rating, some may include other minor pairings, others will include other major pairings. Taking requests! Enjoy!
1. Ignorance

Image (Find the * below): Birthday Present

Everyday, Kise dies a little more. He has to watch Aomine bump Kuroko's knuckles. Aomine throwing his arm around Kuroko. Laughing, smiling, teasing Kuroko. Being happy with Kuroko.

He watches them from afar mostly, sighing to himself sadly, but sometimes, he's roped into talking with them, celebrating after a winning game.

 _What's good about winning if you're not a victor?_ He thinks to himself, silent, angry. But mostly sad.

There's nothing wrong with Kuroko; he's an amazing person. In fact, Kise feels no contempt for Kuroko at all. Even trying hard to come up with reasons why he is so much better than Kuroko for Aomine, doesn't work out. He always gives up, feeling guilty.

What kind of person thinks like that about their friends? _A bad person._ He tells himself.

 _What kind of person wants his friend's man?_

 _A bad person that is hurting._

Kise would rather be a bad person than not love Aomine at all. He knows that it's secretly killing him. Happiness and energy, have diminished. His days, his time- it's all wasted on thinking about Aomine and Kuroko.

Perhaps he's just a masochist? Attracted to Aomine, and captivated to the pain that comes with him.

Kise would rather hurt like this, than not feel a thing.

Sometimes though, he numbs, and wishes that Kuroko, would just disappear. But most days, it just hurts.

* * *

He didn't know when the rest of his friends started looking at him differently but it had began with Akashi and Momoi.

The first time he realized they all knew about his feelings?

 _"Oi, Kise. Kise!"_

 _Kise turns around, trying to hide the sad, tired frown. "Hey Aomine."_

 _These days, he doesn't add the cchi to anyone's name anymore. Not that anyone noticed, especially not his topic of conflict._

 _Aomine hooked a thumb backwards. "So me and Kuroko-"_

 _Kise tries not to wince but fails miserably. It even hurts to hear Aomine say his name- shouldn't he be saying his? No- stop thinking like that._

 _"to the movies. Mai-chan is starring in a new one." His grin shows Kise that he still thinks nothing is wrong. "Wanna come with?"_

 _"Sorry, I had a shoot today." Kise lies. "I'm too tired." That statement isn't completely a lie, he's tired from heartbreak._

 _"Okay." Aomine seems uncertain for a brief moment before he makes this little awkward wave before runni9ng back to Kuroko, who is as unreadable as ever. Kise wonders if Kuroko is smarter than Aomine and can sense how he is feeling._

 _The next minute, it doesn't matter. They're gone._

 _Kise sighs to himself. And when Momoi and Akashi sit down on either side of him and began talking to him together, that's when he first realizes it. That he's a model that can fake smiles, but can't fake away his sadness, and that they can both see right through the wall of fragile glass he is._

 _Their words are gentle, but they're both unsure on making him feel better._

 _Scratch that, they know how, they know exactly how. But they also know it will never happen- Aomine will never tell Kise he loves him._

* * *

The days pass. The weeks pass. _The hurt doesn't_. All Kise does these days is burn slowly, knowing Aomine and Kuroko will only grow closer and closer as time passes, and that he and Aomine will only break away, faster and faster. Well, considering there's not much left between them, it doesn't matter really.

To distract himself, he tries everything. He finds girls. He spends his nights with as many as he needs to, to get thoughts of Aomine and Kuroko out of his head. But the process both costs too much time to reset, and brings too short of a temporary relief.

So he goes back to trying to find it in him to hate Kuroko. But it's still impossible to do, Kise loves Kuroko like a brother, the way he loves the rest of the Miracles. When the combination of these two still don't work, Kise learns to do something else. He learns to fight.

He picks it up quickly, and becomes so good so quickly, he even starts to make money.

Part of him wishes Aomine never threw a ball at his head. That Aomine never had the impulse to throw it, so they would have never mee. So that Kise couldn't have fallen in love with him, learned to play basketball. Maybe a part of him still enjoys the pain, even now.

But one day, he sees Kuroko and Aomine hugging and it tips him over.

Kise silently slips out of the gym and walks through streets. He eventually finds himself in a ring he's not familiar with, but soon will be. He plans on going all night, till he drops from the pain. _On the outside, that is. Cause he's kind of already been dead with it on the inside._

His opponents are all of similar build, heavy, strong, muscled and arrogant expressions, like a pathetic pretty boy like him shouldn't be here because he can't handle getting hurt. Part of Kise wants to retaliate, shout that he's suffered way more pain than they'd ever think to imagine. Either way, soon, he's the one who's laughing. They've all finished on the floor and he's still standing.

After some more time, some more rounds, he can really feel it. Kise is sure the reason the bruises and blood don't look too bad because this stadium is so dark and badly lit. But still he keeps getting up to go for more.

More time has passed. More pain has been inflicted. More pain has been taken and yet, he's still standing. At one point, someone important looking, smiles, and asks him whether he'd be interested in becoming permanent here, followed by offering to have people fetch him ice packs to bring down swelling, and warm drinks to rid the blond in his mouth. Kise declines. He wants to feel everything.

Kise is not sure what time it is when it happens. His current opponent's uninjured face is naturally ugly but he thinks by now, so is his. Still, the other guy is a lot larger, a lot stronger.

Most of it goes by in kind of a blur. Surprisingly, his opponent isn't half as dumb as he looks; he's been picking out Kise's weaknesses one by one and dealing carefully calculated blows. Even with his head throbbing, and his ears ringing from a previous round, Kise recalls the stockpile of moves he's gathered.

Everything is going well, he's feeling pain and he's fighting. But then he slips, and the other guy strikes. Kise feels the guy hitting him in the head, and _fuck-_ it hurts now. He almost wants to get up and yell stop but he doesn't, because, one, he's asked for this, and two, the pain is _good._ So good, Kise thinks about falling asleep. That's right, he won't fall asleep like he normally does, thinking about Kuroko and Aomine-

But then, the blows abruptly stop and the sleep is slowly driven away from Kise's senses.

The blond looks up to see _him._

Yes. Aomine is in the ring.

He has Kise's opponent pinned down but is merciless delivering punches, shouting something furiously. It's incoherent to Kise who's ears continue to ring.

But Kise's eyes still can function perfectly well, and it's definitely Aomine Daiki. There are other people coming into the ring now, trying hard to pull Aomine off who resists their futile efforts. Kise can tell they're all yelling but even though he can't make out the exact words, Kise thinks all of their yells together only contain a fraction of Aomine's unadulterated rage.

"How did you get here?" Kise tries to ask. "Why are you here?" But the words don't come out.

Because everything has faded to black.

* * *

Kise wakes up in a hospital bed and the first thing he notices, even before all the people around him, and the place he's in, is the pain. And _fuck. Does it hurt like a bitch._ It's everywhere. _Face. Chest. Stomach. Arms- fuck, even his ass hurts._

The second thing he notices, is the people. All of them are there. Kuroko. Momoi. Akashi. Murasakibara. Midorima.

Kise's heart does a weird, pathetic flop when Kise realizes, _he_ is not here.

They all begin talking at the same time:

"Ki-chan! Are you alright-"

"-who did this to-"

"-I'll have him arrested-"

"-injured in so many places- your ribs-"

"-chin, do you want food? Will it make you feel better?"

He's kinda happy they're all here. But he's still disoriented. "What's going on?:"

Momoi reaches for his hand and flinches as he winces. "Dai-chan found you. He says you were injured like this when he found you but he won't tell us anything else." She's close to hysterics. "What happened? Please, you have to tell me!"

He weakly shakes his head but that hurts too and he stops, mid-shake. "Nothing. I'm alright."

"Kise," Midorima's voice shakes a little and that's what gets Kise to turn his head to him. "You- your chest..." Midorima looks so unsure for once as he swallows. "You had internal bleeding- You could have _died!"_

Momoi sobs hard and rushes out of the room. Akashi casts a strange, unreadable glance at Kise before he also leaves, maybe to find and comfort her. Midoima silently gives the purple haired giant's hand a tug and surprisingly, Murasakibara follows. They both leave. Now only Kuroko is in the room and he looks a little... Worried. It's a little surprising as Kise isn't used to anything besides a blank expression and the occasional smile.

"Hey Kuroko." Kise tries for a smile. At least those muscles don't hurt to be used. "You can ditch me too, you know this is going to be awkward."

"That's not why they left." Kuroko takes a deep breath and closes his eyes before he looks at Kise again. "I asked them to leave so I could apologize to you."

"Apologize? What for?" Kise is kinda shocked. _I should be apologizing for chasing after your boyfriend._

Kuroko looks unsure but he shakes his head and ploughs forwards. "Taking Aomine away from you." Kise opens his mouth to make but Kuroko continues. "I didn't realize how you felt. I'm equally as bad as Aomine-kun."

"Huh?" Kise is bewildered. "What do you mean?"

Kuroko doesn't not blink when he says, "I don't like Aomine. And he doesn't like me."

"What do you mean!" Kise scoffs. This kinda hurts but the incredulous, bitter anger inside him gets the better of him and he growls, "Dammit, Aomine loves you-"

"No, Aomine loves you." Kuroko says this quietly, but he looks into Kise's eyes as he does so. "Momoi and Akashi talked to me in the morning. They told me how you've been feeling with me and Aomine hanging out. But I swear I didn't know." His voice raises a little. "I promise, I never meant to do anything. I didn't mean to-"

Kise doesn't feel faint. In fact, he feels like this large lie helps to clear the cloudiness from his head. He shakes his head, does his best to smile, and softly whispers, "Kuroko, you don't have to say things like that. Just you saying that makes me feel this secret, traitorous wish that Aomine really would love me," As he forces himself to say the words, words he knows he has to say if he ever wants to move on, a sliver of his glass self breaks. "But I know he'll never-"

"Fuck you Ryouta, _fuck you_." Their topic of interest has suddenly flung the door open and stomps in, growling. His eyes are angry like Kise has never seen before and he's barely able to controls his low, strained voice. "You don't know what you're saying."

True to his nature, Kuroko disappears from the room.

Kise feels a tiny flare of fear at being stuck in a small room with a furious Aomine, having never seen him angry. But the situation is what it is, and Kise has found himself staring into blazing furious eyes. He sighs inwardly. He's too tired to be sorry, too annoyed with Kuroko's lie, too confused by what Aomine is mad is, and in too much pain to be civil. His only way of defense? Go offensive.

Kise tilts his head to the side and laughs sarcastically. "Don't I?"

Aomine's eyes are normally blue, a shade of midnight sky blue that Kise would happily lose himself in, forever. But now, Kise thinks if the midnight sky was to light on fire and burn, it would very closely resemble the dark, smoldering eyes that glare at him right now. He steps right up to Kise's bed who steels his nerves, and manages to not shy away.

Aomine growls a low, "No."

And then he's kissing Kise.

Now let's get one thing clear-Kise has had his share of girlfriends, the occasional guy. But this- this kiss just blew everyone else out of water. And Kise's mind.

Of the little thinking his brain can manage, his thoughts are mangled... He can feel confusion, hungry desire for more, surprise, confusion, but most of all, two feelings he hasn't felt in months. Happiness- where everything he's experienced in the last two months is just melting away like frost in sunlight. And hope- because Aomine, _his Aomine Daiki_ , is kissing him.

And this wasn't a dream. It felt so unreal, the only reason Kise knows for sure this isn't a dream is because his ribs are still aching, and his lungs are protesting for air.

They break away for a moment.

Kise is gasping. He opens his mouth to shout, _What the fuck was that?_ but Aomine crushes their lips together for a second time.

This time, Kise isn't as surprised, so he can _feel._ It's the craziest, most powerful, most meaningful, most amazing kiss he's ever had. He feels Aomine is rough, just the way he thought he'd be, lips are strong and possessive, _demanding absolute submission._ Kise will gladly provide it.

But somehow, Aomine is also gentle. Kise can tell Aomine wants to press Kise up against a wall, press kisses into him there as he runs his hands through his messy Kise's hair- not softly cup his cheek, barely gripping the front of Kise's shirt to keep them close, the way he is currently doing.

 _He's thinking about me._ Kise thinks briefly before his thoughts return to the aggressive tongue that is now making its home in his mouth.

When Aomine pulls away, it's over too soon for Kise's liking but he is grateful to inhale more air. His shoulders tremble a little as he tries to gather some form of composure. "What-the-hell," He says in-between ragged breaths. "was that?"

Aomine has taken a few steps back to put some space in between them, and now, looks up incredulously at Kise. "What do you mean, _what the hell was that?_ I should be asking your stupid ass that question, what were you doing at a _fucking fighting stadium!?"_

Kise doesn't know how he should be feeling right now but the frustration and new confusion make tears begin to burn in his eyes. "If that's all I am to you, _" A stupid ass,_ the words echo in his head. "You can leave me there next time. I'm sorry for wasting your time!" If he wasn't in so much goddamn pain, he's storm out of the room but he is, so he can only settle for turning his whole body away from Aomine and lies on his side, slightly gritting his teeth through the sharp pain of shifting.

A frustrated heavy sigh escapes Aomine.

Kise stills, listening.

 _"Look_." Aomine stresses the word so hard, Kise can practically _see_ him tearing a hand through his dark blue hair. "I'm not a romantic guy. I'm not going to go all cheesy on you and apologize, beg for your forgiveness and say I was stupid, tell you some shit about how it's all my fault,"

There is the sound of footsteps.

Kise knows Aomine is beside his bed again. Knows this because he can feel Aomine's fingertips gliding over his back as gentle hands travel down, and plant their selves on the bed.

Aomine leans down and in his ear, whispers, "Because it's your fault too."

Kise rolls onto his back, barely missing squashing Aomine's hands and looks up into stormy dark blue eyes as disbelief takes over the high of _kissing_ his- _crush is not the right word, not with all the suppressed feelings he's had for Aomine._ "How can you say that you-you-" Kise spits out an impressive string of words that has Aomine's eyes widening. "I spent everyday in hell, forced to watch you and Kuroko get closer and closer-"

Aomine stops leaning over him by pushing off the bed, straightening. He angrily barks out, "What do you mean closer?! Tetsu talked to you and told you I don't like him- I've never liked him!" This time Kise gets to see Aomine losing control, throwing a hand through already messy blue hair as he stalks in a circle, looking for something that can be replaced. "Doesn't spending hours searching for you while everyone else gave up mean anything to you?!" The nightstand goes down in one single, explosive kick and meaningless trinkets spill onto the floor. Daiki yells, "I carried you here in my arms! _I kissed you!_ "

Kise's basketball skills may not on par with Aomine, but his rage is. _How is this my fault?_ "So what?" He wants to break or hit something too, but even Aomine is standing out of range so he just yells, "Those things can't change anything! It's not like that they mean anything to you!"

Aomine seems to be defeated. Teeth gritted, eyes closed, quiet and low, he breaths, "It does when it's with the person I spent two years loving."

Before Ki9se's brain has begun the process of comprehending, Aomine has raked his hand through his hair one last time, and fled the room.

* * *

Kise can hear his own breathing. As he lonesomely lies in his bed, he wishes there was music, a fan whirring, something to drown out the thoughts clambering over one another for his attention. The sad clock that lies on the ground tells Kise it's been a while since Aomine has left. But that doesn't mean he's going to sleep. He doesn't even know if he wants to- thinking, trying to find some sort of sense of clarity hasn't worked so far...

Briefly, he wonders why no one from the hospital has come to speak with him yet.

Time trickles by like water leaking from a broken tap. Slow. Painstakingly slow.

 _"Aominecchi, just one more?"_

 _"No._ "

 _"Please? Pleaseeeee?"_

 _"Alright!" Aomine would smile, with not just his mouth but his eyes too. "But only because it's you."_

 _"Teach me how to fight?"_

 _"Why?"_

 _"Momoi said when you play street ball, you get into fights sometimes."_

 _"So?"_

 _"Teach me!"_

 _"Why?"_

 _"Cause I wanna be more like you!"_

 _Aomine turns serious to carefully study him. Then breaks out into laughter. "You're too pretty to be hit." When he smiles, he adds, "And be yourself. I like you. Uh- I mean, being yourself."_

 _They're on the couch playing video games as usual, Kise is leaning against Aomine, head resting on Aomine shoulder. Aomine doesn't seem to mind the blond hair that spills on his shoulder._

 _But suddenly, the game is paused and Aomine moves away. Kise lets out a squeak as he falls sideways on the couch. Aomine bends over and fidgets with something under the couch. Kise lets out a huff. Did Aomine really pause the game to pick at a piece of lint?_

 _"W_ _hat was that for?"_

 _"I..." Aomine seems uncharacteristically shy. "I got you a birthday present." He promptly hands Kise a tiny golden box the size of a pencil sharpener._

 _"A_ _omine getting someone a present?" Kise is extremely happy but he tries to hide it behind a smirk. "This really is a special day isn't it?"_

 _"Baka!" Aomine slaps him in the back of his head. "Keep up the sarcasm and you'll get hurt. I don't care if it's yo_ _ur goddamn birthday!"_

 _Uh... he may be bluffing here._

 _Kise isn't listening. He's opened the box, and flung his arms around Aomine in a quick, tight hug, but has then flew off the couch wi9thout a word._

 _"Hey?!" Aomine yells. "Don't I get a thank you?!"_

 _When he doesn't, Aomine decides retribution must be seen too, and resumes the game. He quickly offers Kise's character to a monster horde, and he dies a slow, tortuous death._

 _The real Kise returns shortly and the moment he does, Aomine's eyes flee from the screen and fly to the controller so he can hastily pause the game. He looks up and his mouth drops open a little._

 _Wearing the ultramarine blue earring Aomine has picked out, Kise looks even more amazing than usual. The earring itself physically doesn't really change anything, Kise will look good in anything._

 _Today, the model seems uncharacteristically shy, standing at the doorway of the living room, looking at his feet, awaiting comment._

 _Aomine swallows hard before he manages, "You look really nice."_

 _"Thanks." Kise is still standing awkwardly but his eyes meet Aomine's and his smile widens a little further. "So... you like it?"_

 _"I_ _thought I was supposed to be asking you that?" Aomine mumbles. Sunlight catches on the tiny piece of jewelry and injects Aomine with the thought that Kise could outshine any star, literal and figurative. "'s your present."_

 _"I love it! You're the best."_

 _"Damn right I am._ _" Aomine pats the spot beside him and Kise takes it, before grabbing his controller._

 _Kise frowns as his character is resurrected. "Why am I dead?"_

 _"Uh..."_

* * *

Finished with floating down Memory River, Kise is mostly asleep. But when the door clicks open and dim light floods into the dark room, his eyes are open immediately and his body automatically tenses up. It's pretty obvious who it is.

He shifts his body so he can see Aomine properly. Then quietly mumbles a, "Hey," unsure if Aomine is still feeling angry- hell, he's not even sure what he's feeling. The confusion of his current level should come with a warning label and a manual guide on how to handle it.

"You're still awake." It's a statement, not a question. Kise notes how Aomine sounds exhausted like he's been trying to sleep but has been kept up with troubling thoughts. Just like Kise.

 _Have you been reminiscing too?_ Kise wonders before pointing out, "So are you."

Aomine's eyebrows flick up, then return. He's surprised. Is he surprised Kise is no longer angry for his idiocy?

"Yeah... I... I guess... I am." Aomine's mouth forms weird shapes between each word; he's on the brink of saying something else but he chickens out every time. That's too bad, because Kise doesn't want to play this vague game. He's done with this ride of turmoil, he wants to know the truth.

"You said you spent two years loving me." Something lodges inside Kise's throat and he can't breath. Not until he hears the answer.

"Yeah. I did."

The immediate relief is so instantaneous, Kise unintentionally then blurts out, "How did it happen?" Though once he has, he doesn't regret asking.

For the first time today, Aomine smiles. His teeth don't flash and his eyes aren't happy and the smile is small, and not the kind that proudly stretches across his face, but it qualifies as a smile nonetheless. "See, one day, I met this guy... He wasn't like anyone I'd ever met before..."

Although Kise loves clichés and is usually a sucker for them, this one doesn't work for him and he skeptically eyes Aomine. "Did you write a list of reasons why you- you love me?" He tries not to stumble over the last three words but it's still hard for him to believe that _Aomine_ _kindaaaaaaa does._

"Yeah dumbass," Aomine's sarcasm reassures Kise that this is Aomine. "That's exactly what I did, because I'm _such_ a sweetheart."

"Calling me names isn't helping you know." Kise pouts, quite accidentally. He bites his tongue when he realizes his mistake- how he's slipped back into his regular childish, easy-going attitude he takes when they banter, and is about to mutter a sorry when a smirk appears on Aomine's face.

"You know, sometimes you remind me of a dog. You're dumb, needy and whiny-"

And just like that, the balance of the atmosphere tips and they're acting like it's just a regular day between them as best friends.

Kise protests before he realizes he's setting himself up for a trap, slipping even more into his usual persona.

"But," Aomine's devilish smirk widens as he, of his own free will, says, "I even like that goofy part of you 'cause it makes you fun." Before Kise can say anything, Aomine gets closer to his bed and continues, "I also like your determination. You never give up in our one on ones, even though you know you're gonna lose. "

Kise's ears burn hotly and he knows he is blushing and he knows _Aomine_ _knows_ this too because his dark blue bangs shake as he laughs, "Your face is red."

"Shut up Aominecchi," Kise mutters, complaining yet again. But after he does, he decides it's okay- If Aomine is okay with dealing their problem like this, so is he. In fact, he kinda likes it hen he's focusing on Aomine, because he doesn't even remember he's in physical pain. Aomine is basically his anesthetic.

Some of the teasing, joking look disappears from Aomine's features but his smile becomes brighter. "You called me Aominecchi."

"Did I now?" Kise pretends to not recall. But the pinkish red that stains his cheeks gives him away and Aomine laughs again.

"Shut up and tell me more."

"More what?"

"More things you like about me."

"God," Aomine wrinkles his nose and Kise feels a thrill of delight to see that familiar action- like this is just another normal day in their lives. Except that Kise's unrequited love is not so unrequited anymore. "Did we not go through the part where I said I don't do cheesy shit like that?"

"Do it for me?"

"No."

"Do it for me."

"No."

"Do it pleaseeeee?"

"No. You're getting on my nerves now Kise."

"Pleaseeeeeeeeee?"

"Shut up!"

"I love you." The words slid out of his mouth so easily, it takes Kise a few couple of seconds to realize those words have jumped out his mouth, and not Aomine's. Something inside him sparks warmly.

So far, it's the first time he's said _'the words'_ out loud.

Aomine seems equally surprised. In a slightly muted voice, says, "I kinda like you too."

Kise wants to laugh- Aomine was the first to say the words, was the first to kiss Kise, was the first to outwardly confess-but now he refuses to say them?

This calls for dirty tactics.

"Yeah?" Kise slyly says, "Well I kinda like Momoicchi, and Midorimacchi and-"

"Gross! Satsuki's like my sister!"

"Well she's not mine." Kise grins for two reasons, one to piss Aomine off, the other because he's happy. How the hell does their friendship- _relationship,_ his mind suggests _-_ work like this, changing without a damn about the mood?

"Fine! I love you." Aomine says, looking annoyed, scooting even closer to Kise. Theye both know he's not. "Are you happy?"

 _How can I not be?_ "Yes." Kise's smile loses its teasing quirks and replaces them with pure, untainted joy. He's unbelievably happy-the last time he was anywhere close to being this happy was when they'd won nationals together.

The thought, _I'd trade a thousand championship wins just for this day,_ briefly crosses his mind. Kise smiles even brighter, because he means it without any regrets. "I really am."

Aomine seems satisfied with this because a smile shows through the filter of his 'annoyed' exterior. If possible, Kise's smile grows even bigger at the sight of Aomine's. Against his will, the ace of Teiko's smile enlarges too, and like a damned loop, this repeats until they're smiles are so big they burst into laughter at the same time like the two stupid idiots they are.

It takes a while for them to sober up, but when they do, Aomine softly asks, "Kise?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we gonna finish our fight?" Aomine doesn't want to hurt Kise but he wants things to be out of the way and completely clear. And he'll spend as much time as needed to convince Kise, he's the one and that there's no one else. Especially not Tetsu- _bleh, just thinking about it is groooooossssss._

Kise doesn't seem surprised and Aomine thinks Kise feels the same about having everything clear and out in the open. Though he does look a little unsure. "I think..." Kise looks up into Aomine's eyes as he honestly continues, "I think we kind of already did."

"Are you sure? I want you to know I meant every word I said." Aomine lets those words ring out for a second before choosing to ruin the moment by scratching his head and coughing. "Not that I remember any of those words."

Kise is back to laughing. His blond mop of hair and shoulders both shake as he giggles on the bed. "I know you do. "

 _"Sooooooo-"_

"Yes, I know you meant every word you said." Kise smiles. It's still a little hard to believe what is happening but Kise is not going to question it. "Are we done with the awkward talk?"

"I thought those were my lines," Aomine complains. "I'm supposed to be the masculine one, you're one who uses makeup-"

Kise protests, "My job requires me to!"

"And cries-"

With dignity, Kise says, "Only true men show their feminine side."

"And wants to do 'relationship talk'."

"Oh that reminds me!" Kise's amber eyes sparkle mischievously. "Before anything happens in _our relationship,"_

Aomine lets out a pleased, "Mmmmm." He likes those words, almost as much as Kise likes saying them. "Yes?"

"I want you to do two things."

Aomine lets out a groan. _After all_ , he needs to keep his image. "No."

Although he probably will end up doing them, just to see Kise happy.

Kise easily ignores him. "First, you have to take me on an official first date."

Aomine bites his tongue hard, tempted to say, "What, this doesn't count?" But even he knows better than that.

"And second," Kise's voice drops to a sultry whisper as he gazes up at Aomine with those long eyelashes and those glowing, amber eyes. "I want another kiss."

Aomine complies _way to eagerly._


	2. Chapter 2

**Story notes:**

 **Title:** Just Like Thunder

 **Rating/Warnings:** M for smut

 **Genres/Tags:** Shower Sex, Humor, Established AoKise, Minor Pairings

 **Story Notes:** Present tense, extremely long. :p

 **Summary:** Aomine and Kise go storm watching, but get distracted.

* * *

The rain drizzles lightly, pattering softly against the tarp before sliding down and falling onto the tent's cover. Thunder crackles like the strike of a whip.

Kise's eyes slide open and his shoulders reflexively tense. But he's still fairly drowsy and into his pillow, sleepily mumbles, "Daiki?"

"Mmmmph." Aomine rolls over so they're facing each other. Eyes remaining close, he murmurs back, "Babe," His arm lazily flops onto Kise's shoulder, then protectively curls around his slender frame. "Go back to sleep."

Kise reaches for Aomine's strong hand, interlaces their fingers and enjoys the comfort and warmth his boyfriend doesn't mind providing. "There's thunder."

"So?"

"I'm scared." Kise snuggles even tighter into the cozy crook of Aomine's arm, smelling the faint scent of rain layered under the tanned basketball player's natural musk. "Please-" Kise raises a hand to his forehead and flutters his lengthy eyelashes, though he knows Aomine won't see the action. " _Hold me_."

"You wuss, don't be so dramatic." But Aomine complies anyways, pressing his limb around Kise tighter and shifting ever so slightly- just so he's a little closer to his boyfriend. "Now go back to sleep."

Kise runs his finger over the firm curves of Aomine's knuckles, hesitating, There are words on the tip of his tongue waiting to be used but he holds them back.

 _Too bad Aomine knows him._

Dark blue eyes find lustrous gold and Aomine gently prompts, "Okay, what's wrong?"

"If there's thunder, there's lighting. It's dangerous for us to be out here."

The tanned man suddenly sits up, unintentionally dislodging Kise who lets out a small, protesting whine. Aomine chuckles, affectionately roughens up the blond's already messy bed hair, plants a small, sweet, chaste kiss on the top of his forehead, and then says, "You're right." His smile grows even wider and he looks unusually excited.

"Let's go see it out live."

* * *

No, Kise is not scared of storms- he actually enjoys watching them. (And yes, Aomine is actually aware of this fact.) There's just something breathtaking about them that after all these years, he still hasn't completely figured out.

 _Maybe it's the beauty._

Seeing the white light that is blinding bright alone makes Kise breath quicken- But seeing that jagged light powerfully darting, spreading across the endless sky, lashing out and making claw marks that are only there for a flicker of a second, then gone, if you haven't been fast enough to see- that's a whole different story...

 _Maybe it's the smells and sounds._

The scent of fresh rain is earthy and unique, and always strong enough to wash every other scent out of his mind. And the rhythmic pattering of the constant drops is soothing, something that Kise could easily fall asleep to every night. Though occasionally disrupted by a dash of thunder, it's really a nice sort of musical touch to the rain's steady drumming.

 _Maybe it's the power and strength._

Again, simply seeing lightning flash is enough to overtake anything formerly of Kise's attention. But knowing how much damage a single bolt can cause to an area or a single person and how invincible it really is gives Kise the feeling of amazed awe- whatever could stop a storm in its tracks?

Watching storms makes Kise feel more alive- it's sort of a reminder that while the world is constantly moving and there are things to do, you're the one in control- you're the one living your life.

 _Maybe it's the fun._

It's compelling how the rain can turn from a mild drizzle to a huge downpour that can make it impossible to keep your eyes open long enough to tell the eye color of the person in front of you- all in a matter of seconds.

And how the world is _after_ the storm. Everything's suddenly peaceful and serene with the lack of its usual crowds of people, sparkling droplets decorating everything from trees to rooftops, and the puddles shining with your reflection... It's like the world has gotten a color filter- it's makes everything seems like the same, but at the same time, everything also seems like it's changed.

And when storms disrupt his day, he takes it as a good sign, as a promise of unpredictableness and adventure.

 _Maybe it's just the nature._

Kise likes to think storms have personalities. It chooses exactly how it wants to flash across the sky, how exactly it lights up the world, whether to show through the thick layers of gray clouds it protects itself with and allow certain people to see its radiance or altogether hide behind them and never reveal itself)-

 _Maybe it's a combination... and more..._

* * *

The waterproof tarp that is pulled over their tent is high enough so both men can stand under it at their full height without having to duck.

Instead of pulling on one of the two lame translucent rain coats Satsuki has slipped into their bags, Aomine wears his usual casual clothing- a black t-shirt and a baggy, gray pair of shorts and waits, having stepped onto the plastic cover they've laid their shoes on. He changes into damp running shoes and waits impatiently as Kise does the same.

The blond carefully steps out of the tent wearing one of Aomine's old black hoodies that fits loosely over his own casual wear. After pulling the tent's zipper close, Kise looks for his shoes while Aomine taps his foot impatiently, vaguely thinking, _Kise always takes takes his sweet time getting up, why did I think camping would change that fact?_

In his peripheral vision, Aomine notices how Kise steps into one of his shoes, immediately lifts his foot out of it and then bends over slightly to peer at the offending item. A sudden, instinctive knowing twinge hits and instantly, Aomine realizes they must be wet.

But then, a warm burst of prided affection kicks Aomine inside his chest when Kise simply shrugs, stoops to roll down his socks, places them to the side and then returns to the task of putting on his shoes.

 _Of course that wouldn't deter you, Ryou_ , Aomine thinks, a faint ghost of a smile on his face. _You always were determined- whether it was pestering me for another one-on-one in basketball or another hour of video games or another kiss. Why did I think wet shoes would stop you from having fun?_

Completely oblivious, Kise finishes tying up his laces, straightens up and asks, "So what are we doing exactly?"

Aomine's sincere smile slips into a devious grin that's all twinkling eyes and flashed teeth. "We're gonna sneak out, find their cabin and sit on the balcony to watch the storm."

Kise quickly decides it is one of the most logical and _legal_ plans Aomine has ever come up with.

Fully knowing it was going to rain this hard, they were the only ones who argued for staying in tents, rather than chipping in money to group rent the cabin like the rest of them. So, while everyone else is cozy and asleep in the cabin, they are the only two who have a tent and an air mattress. But hey, the cuddling makes it all good.

Aomine and Kise quickly discuss the best path to their target destination, a beautiful two-storied log cabin rented out by their friends. Though somewhat old fashioned with its cozy fireplace, its accommodation size is impressive. Best of all, there's a set of stairs that leads up to the balcony where they'll be able to have a pretty decent view of the storm.

But the fancy cabin is still a good four hundred meters from their tent site.

Kise and Aomine turn to each, and in a slow, solemn manner, nod in unison, and then take their chances and dash out of the protection of the tarp, straight into the storm. Instantly, they're blinded by the cold, stinging droplets that splash into their faces as they navigate, by a combination of judgement, memory, and instinct. Aomine loses sight of Kise in the first five seconds. After the thirty second mark, worry starts to bite him and he wonders whether he should slow down and locate Kise before continuing on- after all, Aomine is the better basket ball player, what if he's already run too far...

Aomine worries his bottom lip between his teeth. _What if Kise is looking for him and is lost..._

When he arrives at the ground level porch and Kise is no where to be seen, he quietly calls, "Kise?" He uses his last name because he doesn't want to seem desperate- no matter how much he is really worried.

"Kise? Where are you?"

"Aominecchi look up!"

He does and his mouth drops open in astonishment. "How did you get here first?"

With Aomine's wet gray hoodie tied around his waist, Kise is quite smugly looking down from his comfortable spot on the balcony near the edge of the staircase. The smirk on his handsome face has not been marred by the rain, though his blond bangs are wet and messily matted to his forehead and his golden-amber eyes are extra bright with excitement. Aomine vaguely thinks it's like looking into bright, pure rays of sunshine in the middle of this rainstorm, except sunshine tends not to laugh at you, "Ha ha! I'm faster than you!"

"Bullshit!" Aomine shouts, forgetting that behind the cabin's closed door are several people who would happily kill them. Firing words, he chokes a little. "I was wor- you cheated, you- you cheap ass!"

"How could I cheat?" Kise pretends to scoff but his indignation is half-hearted because of the heartfelt warmth blossoming in his chest. Daiki worrying about him? The supposed 'asshole' can be _such_ a soft sweetheart sometimes...

"You," Kise leans against the railing of the balcony which is only somewhat overshadowed by the roof and childishly giggles, " _are such a sore loser_!"

"No no no no!" Aomine denies it hard, shaking his head vehemently as he storms up the creaking wooden stairs. "Cheater! Rematch!" When he's leaning against the railing and right beside the blond, he pokes Kise hard in the chest. "Come on, let's race again!"

With every word flustered Aomine says, Kise only grows more smug. He rolls his shoulder in the laziest, slowest move someone could still call a shrug and turns, brows raising, golden eyes twinkling with an air of superiority. "My my, Aominecchi, you remind me of someone I know."

Aomine has always been slow- now is a perfect example.

"Do I care?" He scowls, brows furrowed in this ridiculously cute frown as he paces on the balcony's slippery wood, sending raindrops hanging between the gaps of the wood boards falling to their deaths. "I want another match now!" He demands loudly.

Kise rolls his eyes. "You should care," He playfully shoves the other literally, while hoping his words will also figuratively send Aomine thinking in the right direction. "Me, idiot!"

Horror slowly forms on Aomine's face and he stumbles away when realization finally hits. " _Nooooooo- fuck noooo!_ "

"Oh _yeeessss-_ "

" _Nooooooooo! No! No!"_ Aomine is practically shrieking now, stomping-pacing hard, back and forth across the balcony as if he can run away from the terrible truth. " _Fuck, I was acting like you!"_

The blond laughs, thoroughly amused. "What do you mean ' _was_ ' ?" He imagines Aomine felt the same glee he feels right now- the kind Aomine would of had when they used to play one on one everyday and he would whine and demand ' _just one more'_ match and Aomine would pretend to be annoyed, but was secretly just as excited and happy as he was. However, Kise is not as merciful as Aomine is, so he continues teasing his boyfriend, "Your screeching and complaining sounds a lot like mine too, you really enjoy acting like me don't you?"

Hands clasped over his ears, eyes closed, Aomine is loudly trying to mumble over Kise. "Think about Daiki things not Kise stuff- um... porn! Mai-chan! Mai-chan porn!"

"Hey!" Kise can't help but scowl with one-hundred percent real displeased indignation and turns away from the railing to confront his boyfriend. "How about me? I'm a good Daiki thing too! And by the way, I'm way better than _Mai-chan._ " He scornfully spits out her name because, yes, he's 'a bit ' of a selfish-jealous boy when it comes to Aomine Daiki's attention, because that's _his_ man. _His._ But he also happens to know Aomine rather enjoys his jealous streaks, so it's a win win situation.

Maybe Aomine's a tactless person, but he's not dumb. His eyes are still shut as he continues calling, "Girls with huge boobs!"

Annoyance takes away Kise's former smirk and now the blond's lips are angled downwards, his nose is wrinkled and his cheeks are slightly puffed out. He then grumps, "Aominecchi."

"Hmmm?" Aomine's eyes open to see Kise step into his space and his navy blue orbs widen when the blond aggressively claims his mouth in a hot, demanding kiss.

The corners of Aomine's mouth twitch into a grin for a quick second, just enough for Kise to realize that the smirk is there, before Aomine makes it disappear by parting his own mouth. The other makes a small satisfied hum before his skillful tongue darts in to play, threads one hand through short, blue hair to push Aomine closer and uses the other to slowly sneak up under Aomine's shirt so he can run his long fingers across the taut and hard stomach muscles that even put his to shame.

Though the former ace of Teiko has made his sexual prowess known to the rest of his friends, Kise is more or less of the same caliber, and when they have sex, they tend to fight to assert absolute dominance and control. Usually, it ends with Kise submitting but he doesn't mind- the climb is always part of the fun. And anyways, he almost always gets to initiate the game so the whole overall deal is pretty _sweeeeet_.

Kise swirls his tongue in a circle around Aomine's and the latter's heartbeat quickens in a good way.

But he decides it's time for him to control things again and has to try very hard to manage to move his mouth away from those soft, tantalizing lips. When he does, he tilts the blond's chin upwards so he has complete access to Kise's exposed neck. Aomine then nips his favourite spot hard, earning a purr from the blond. Slowly, he starts to drag his tongue alongside Kise's collarbone, licking up the bits of rain that collected there earlier.

"Daiki," Murmurs Kise softly as he slides his lower hand up to Aomine's nice pectorals. Only the sudden thunder clap reminds him to say, "We're supposed to be watching the storm."

Aomine snorts, turns his boyfriend around so Kise's back is to his own chest and he can growl into Kise's ear, "This is the most pathetic storm I've ever seen. I wouldn't even call it a thunderstorm."

 _Guess he's right,_ Kise thinks. _We haven't seen much lightning so far, maybe the storm's already died down too much?_

Kise's attention is jarred back to Aomine when his hands snake to Kise's waist and pulls him close so Kise's back is firmly pressed against his own chest. In a low, husky voice, Aomine whispers into his ear, "I think I'm going to spend my time doing something else."

Unable to help but act cocky, Kise bats his eyelashes and flashes a sexy smirk. "Would that, 'something' happen to be me?" He pretends to innocently push his ass backwards, into Aomine's crotch, who makes a deep grunt.

"Yes."

"I thought so," Kise breathes out slowly, eyes already half-lidded."So... What exactly is going to happen?"

"We go downstairs into the cabin and then I fuck you hard."

Kise begins laughing so much he has to step away from Aomine so he can double over. Aomine scowls at his bent back. "Kise, you're ruining the moment."

In between laughs, Kise gasps, "You're crazy."

"No."Aomine cocks his head to side and raises a brow, unimpressed. "And unless you want to fuck inside our crowded little tent, or right out here like wild animals, we're going inside their cabin."

Kise has straightened back up and his shoulders have finally stopped shaking with laughter. But then he flashes the hottest, sexiest, and most wicked grin Aomine has ever seen in his life.

"Who says I want to fuck at all?"

Aomine is completely speechless for a second and Kise merrily yells, "Goodbye Aominecchi!" before bursting back into laughter as he takes flight, running down the stairs.

"You little shit!"

Aomine rapidly follows suit- taking steps like he's running an Olympic staircase race. The moment Kise's feet hit the ground and he lunges away trying to flee, Aomine quickly tackles and sends him down on the slippery, muddy ground.

"Bastard!" Struggling with Aomine's body pressing him down, Kise lets out a muffled groan that is mostly for show. Yes, he's actually kinda glad Aomine's holding him down; this way, he doesn't get to see the smile that Kise can't immediately stomp. "That fucking hurt."

" _Ryou,_ you cocktease," Aomine growls in a low voice, breath close and hot against Kise's ear. The blond shivers a little, but it's not because of the cold from the wet ground which he's mostly forgotten, though it has soaked through his t-shirt and into his skin. "You're going to have to pay, you know?"

"What if I don't want to?" Kise turns his head sideways so his cheek is against the ground and he can cheekily smirk up at Aomine. "I'm not sucking your cock, if that's what you're thinking- you got me all dirty and wet so I'm mad now."

Kise hears a chuckle before he can feel the weight on his back disappearing. He turns to see Aomine standing, offering him a hand to get up to. Kise takes it but suddenly, exactly like the infuriating smirk he made that had his boyfriend wordless, Aomine crookedly grins and says, "You know, I've only had girls say that to me."

Looking extremely offended, Kise gasps. "Why you- you-"

Aomine waits, wicked smile only growing bigger as he watches Kise's hilarious attempt to come up with a worthy insult. After several moments, Kise seems to deflate and silently stomps away. "Oi!" Aomine jogs up to him and casually throws an arm across his shoulder. "It was just a joke." Kise huffs, shrugs him off, and picks a random direction to continue stomping away, ignoring the cold rain that has started to pour harder again. Aomine tries again, "Come on baby, you can't be mad at me over a joke."

Rain falling and their shoes trudging through the mud and dirt are the only sounds audible right now. Then:

"You compared me to the rest of those sluts you call girlfriends." Kise says so coldly, Aomine flinches. Fuck, he knows he has messed up. Through gritted teeth, Kise spits with iced venom, "Forgive me if I'm not in the mood to laugh."

Aomine is really uncertain now but he tries one last time, "Sweetheart, it didn't mean anything, don't be mad at me?"

Kise makes an childish sound between a grunt, a whine and a growl that Aomine can't help but find fiercely annoying but completely adorable at the same time. "No!"

"Come on Ryouta, I make mistakes all the time, let's just put it behind us?"

"No."

"What do I have to do for your forgiveness?" Aomine sighs. "I'll say please." It hurts his pride to be lowered to an average man, to have to say anything that borders along the line of polite and nice to anyone, _especially_ Kise Ryouta, but he manages to choke out, "I'm sorry? Please don't be mad at me?" It all sounds like questions but hey, the words were said- that is saying something.

"I'll forgive you on one condition."

Aomine is immensely relieved. "Yes?"

"I get to top for the rest of the week."

The words, "SCREW YOU," and "HELL NO," are on his tongue before Aomine has even completely processed Kise's statement. Unconsciously, a part of him finds it a bit suspicious that Kise gets mad, gets to make a request and chooses to demand one of his favourite things, though it doesn't really matter, because Aomine won't agree-

"And, I'll let you do _that thing_ you always like doing."

"Which one?" Aomine blurts out, unable to help _actually considering_ Kise's proposal. It's just the way the blond talks slyly, like he knows something Aomine doesn't.

Angelic face positively devilish, Kise smirks, "The one where you fuck me unconscious, with my wrists tied to the headboard and-"

Immediately, Aomine knows which idea Kise is referring to, and a vivid mental picture of him in the position quickly makes Aomine unquestioningly and mindlessly agree, "Okay." Then he blinks, having partly forgotten what he's just agreed to, until Kise enthusiastically says,

"Okay, so I get to top today!"

"Whoa!" Aomine raises his hands, already starting to regret his decision. "No you don't!... Not until tomorrow."

" _Fine_." Kise pouts before blinking normally. "Oh, and I forgot to ask you what you meant when you said we're going into their cabin. And whether you're crazy or not."

"Trust me."

" _Okayyy_ , but if Akashicchi kills me I'm going to be angry with you."

"Like that bastard would dare to lay a hand on you," Aomine lets out a snort and proudly crosses his arms over his chest. "He knows you're _mine_."

Kise secretly feels a enjoyable thrill of satisfaction at the little act of possessiveness, even if it is ridiculous (Akashi is... _terrifying),_ smiles and reaches for the tanned basketball player's hand to express his affection. Aomine doesn't hesitate to grasp it.

They began heading back to their friends' cabin, now, even more utterly soaked than before but the short walk isn't miserable- how could it be when they have each other? Eventually, they get to the door, Aomine reveals his key he stole from Momoi, then explains bits of his plan to Kise who thinks they're already in this shit too deep to back out now, and then they begin.

* * *

 **Be warned. Shower smut. You have been warned. :p**

At the doorstep, they take off and wring their t-shirts, slip out of their shoes and do their best to squeeze the water from their shorts. Then, they silently intrude into the house. Having explored the cabin earlier from invitation, the couple stealthily make their way through the living room and into the bathroom- which Aomine happens to know, has a shower. And grab bars.

And he finds out there are also a bunch of towels. But Aomine doesn't dry off, no, he _wants_ a ' _shower'_.

When he locks the door, Kise can't help but laugh, "You know if Akashicchi and the others find out, that's not going to help protect us."

"Actually," Aomine wears a roguish, bad-boy sort of smirk that Kise finds undeniably hot. "I locked the door because of your loud moaning."

"Shut up." Kise rolls his eyes but doesn't bother with his pouting routine because his back is to his boyfriend. Instead, he lazily pulls his pants down, knowing Aomine will shamelessly enjoy the view. He finishes removing his boxers and _right on time-_ Aomine is against him, chest pressed into Kise's back, hard erection demanding attention, digging into his hip, and hotly whispering into his ear, "Hey."

"You're hard already?" Kise teases, reaching out to almost playfully, squeeze. From Aomine's grunt, he smiles wolfishly. "Bet I think I can get you harder."

"Kise, don't tease me." Aomine growls in a low, commanding voice that makes Kise shiver in growing anticipation. It's a bit unfortunate they don't have a bed where they can wrestle for control and Aomine can win and _really_ fuck him hard, but the shower isn't too bad with its ceramic tiles and translucent glass door- in fact, this one is large and almost as swanky as the one back at their apartment.

Still not answering, Kise grips one of the grab bars for safety and steps one foot into the shower to adjust the temperature of the water. Once it's decently warm, he gets in and turns to beckon Aomine.

The tanned basketball player uses a vanishing drive suspiciously similar to Kuroko's and in a heartbeat, he is flush against Kise for the third time today.

Kise lets out a chuckle and then seductively murmurs in a low voice, "Bit eager, yeah?"

"You'd be too, if your gorgeous boyfriend was always a cock tease." Aomine retorts, kissing Kise aggressively. When he finally pulls always, he exhales, "And I think you're doing a little too much talking."

"I only heard the first part." Kise bats those long, golden eyelashes over his smoldering eyes, trying to hide his own breathlessness. "So you think I'm gorgeous?"

"Mmm, maybe a little." Aomine starts to suck on the small forward's earlobe, giving him shivers. "Now get down on your knees."

"Bleh, why do you have to be so tactless? And what if I want you to blow me instead?"

Aomine rolls his eyes. Even if this is the man he's hopelessly in love with, Kise will always be his best friend first- it would be impossible for Aomine to treat him in a different way than he always has. So, with annoyance, he snaps, "What if I don't have lube and I really, really, _really_ want to fuck you?"

Kise smirks before actually obeying, getting down on his knees, angling himself so the shower spray is hitting his back. He reaches for Aomine's cock and slowly runs one finger down the sensitive underside, using the other to fondle his balls.

Aomine grits his teeth but it's too bad Kise can read him like a book- the blond's obnoxious smirk is growing; he knows he's the one with power now. Yet he decides to grant mercy; gently using his hands to push his lover's thighs father apart, he wraps his hands around the delicious, thick cock presenting itself and begins to pump, squeezing in quick, precise strokes, over and over again.

When air forcibly hisses through Aomine's gritted teeth, Kise takes that as a signal to begin using his tongue to trail the underside of Aomine's length back and forth several times before intently swiveling his tongue around the tip. He's definitely enjoying treating Aomine's cock like an ice cream cone.

The former ace of Teiko slowly grits out, " _Ryouta_." His fingers find Kise's short golden hair and tug, impatient and insistent.

Temporarily removing his mouth from his job, Kise pouts, exasperated when he says, " _Fineeee."_

Then he abruptly takes Aomine's whole length.

" _Shit_ \- Kise." Aomine swears and tightens his grip in Kise's hair, furiously trying not to lose it right there. "Shit. Shit. Shit."

" _Mmmmmmmm_." Kise hums his smug satisfaction and the vibrations forcibly tear a groan from Aomine's mouth. Hearing Aomine's hitch in breath, Kise releases Aomine from his mouth to feign innocence concern. "Are you alright baby?"

Aomine lets out a mumble that suspiciously sounds like, "Going to kick your a- _ngh_!"

Kise has gone back to his task, this time, gently scraping the skin of Aomine's tip with his teeth and swiping his tongue in a circle on the underside of Aomine's cock, once every several seconds of deep throating. The owner simply feels the delicious pressure building and can't stop himself from digging in his nails into Kise's scalp who reads it as a compliment and works more fervently to get Aomine to come.

Forgotten how to form words, Aomine simply lets out grunts and occasionally, sharp gasps when Kise surprises him with a trick of that skillful, talented mouth. Meanwhile, the slow, dirty tension inside him just keeps accumulating, vaguely reminding Aomine of someone trying to stack dominos in a tall tower- sooner or later, it will collapse.

And the fall will be powerful.

"Kise-" Aomine takes a ragged breath like he's a dying man. _"Ryou-_ I'm almost-"

"Oh?" Kise slides his mouth off of Aomine's slick cock almost... _nonchalantly._ Like he's okay with killing Aomine from a denied orgasm.

"What are you playing at?" Incredulous, Aomine reaches down, about to jerk himself off- when Kise calmly reaches up and locks his hand around Aomine's wrist. The dark blue haired man is about to turn feral and bite Kise when the blond rises from his knees and uses one sidebar to pull himself up, allowing the shower's spray to move to his upper back, neck and the edge of his hair.

"We don't have lube, remember?" He dryly points out.

Having forgotten that fact, Aomine still mumbles, "...could've let me come anyways." defensively, after a slight moment of thinking.

"Yes yes yes," Kise dismissively waves a hand as he shifts around so they shift spots, with Aomine standing under the showerhead . "I could've, should've, didn't. Now," The blond raises his delectable rump and like a hawk to a fish, Aomine's predatory gaze is hooked. "Can we get on with the fucking?"

At a slight loss for words, Aomine decides to just obey. He moves closer to Kise and bends down so he's eye level with Kise's hot ass, pale skin reddened by the heat of the water. Aomine places and spreads his palms around those cheeks before squeezing nice and hard, which Kise replies to with a strained groan. "Ao-Ao-Aominecchi?"

"Just prepping you," Aomine offers his explanation. Using his thumbs, he gently parts Kise's cheeks, dips his head and swipes his tongue once, to which Kise tenses. Aomine takes no mind and continues tonguing him, slipping his tongue shallowly into Kise's entrance and swirling it around in a small circle.

" _Nngh_ -" Kise moans loudly, moving and arching his body so Aomine's mouth is right against his entrance. The sound only makes the heat burning inside Aomine increase. "Please... _Aominecchi_..." He murmurs the name over and over again in a wild, desperate plead.

Aomine ignores the vague demand and continues at his own chosen lazy pace to make his lover suffer as he did. But when the small forward pants, "More, please-" Aomine grips Kise's cheeks even tighter, moves his head closer so his chin hits Kise's skin, and thrusts his tongue deep, hitting Kise's sensitive spot, the one that makes his grip on the shower's grab bars tighten, and makes him swear, "Fuck!"

" _Mmmmm_ ," Aomine pulls out his tongue to talk, voice heated and low. "You like me tonguing you?"

"Yes! Yes!" Kise wiggles his hips, begging Aomine to continue. "Please, I want more!"

Aomine smirks against Kise's ass and then decides to just use one hand to keep Kise's cheeks apart. Now, he's able to add his tongue with his finger and spears Kise in a single motion of his index, making the blond cry out his name. Aomine continues jabbing his finger in and out, spreading the lubricant of his saliva. Hearing Kise moan with need and watching his body react to the ministrations, only makes Aomine's own want, burn more.

Adding two more fingers to rapidly plunge deep into Kise's slick hole, Aomine observes Kise biting his lip so hard, a bead of blood forms and the way his hands clench around the grab bars. But that does nothing to muffle his scream of pleasure.

Still, Aomine doesn't relent; he alternates between the three fingers and his skillful tongue.

Moaning, Kise throws his head back from the pleasure. He pants hard, "Daiki, how..." The pleasure is making his mind hazy; he struggles to say, "Much... Longer?"

Voice low and deep compared to Kise's high pitched moans, Aomine growls, "Now."

He rises to a stand, his hands find Kise's thin hips and then in one smooth movement, impales Kise all the way to his hilt.

Letting out a strangled groan from the pleasure, Kise's brows furrows and his face contorts with concentration as his tight, stretched insides work to adjust and properly accommodate Aomine's massive girth. It's not just Aomine being big, he's so tight, squeezing firmly around Aomine's cock.

"Ryouta?" Head buried into the soft crook of Kise's neck, it's there Aomine murmurs with concern, hot breath against equally heated skin, "You okay?"

Kise appreciates his boyfriend's uncharacteristic patience. But he suddenly bucks his hips hard and Aomine raises his head out of surprise. Kise then turns his head so he's looking over his shoulder, into Aomine's gaze. With his golden, smoldering eyes and a dirty grin, he mouths, ' _Daiki. Fuck me.'_

Aomine thought he couldn't feel any hotter, but Kise gets his blood boiling. He pulls almost entirely out, gives Kise a single second to prepare himself, and then harshly thrusts forwards. At once, Kise moans and Aomine knows he has accurately hit Kise's favorite spot. Suddenly, all of their patience is gone- replaced by desperation and need. Aomine begins pulling out, just to frantically bury himself inside, hitting that spot again and again while Kise thrusts his hips back to meet Aomine with equivalent urgency.

"Aominecchi- _nngh_ \- fa-faster... Harder..."

"You're so tight- _mmmph-_ fuck!"

"You- _ahh-_ feel... so good... you keep hitting my- _shitshitshit._ "

"Taking me all in one go- _mmmm_ _... Such a good boy_ _._ "

They continue fiercely moving together, trading moans and dirty words, but they're mostly just hazy minded from the pleasure.

While an incompetent groan tears its way out of Aomine's throat, Kise simultaneously cries out too, and his bent legs, in between Aomine's, start to tremble like a newborn fawn trying to stand.

"Ki _-Ryouta_..."

Thrust.

"Are you..."

Thrust.

"Close?" Aomine grunts out each word with difficulty.

"Yea-" Kise moans his name loudly from a particularly fierce thrust, before panting, "Yeah- I-I'm going to cum soon."

"Good boy," Aomine breathes harshly.

In the back of his mind, he knows he'll be leaving pretty purple marks on that soft, milky skin, but his grip around Kise's hips tighten as he slides out, then practically yanks Kise back, seating him all the way to his hilt. Kise doesn't seem to mind Aomine possibly bruising him with his grip- Kise's own hands are locked around the grab bars to provide stability, even as he wildly moves his hips to meet Aomine's rapid pace and his intense fervor.

Most of their fucking is done without words; instead, pleasured groans, gasps, grunts, moans, cries fill the bathroom. With all his strength, Aomine continues to pound hard and deep into Kise, gritting his teeth, occasionally nipping at the soft skin stretched over Kise's nape, who simply writhes.

Aomine speeds up his thrusts, hitting Kise's sensitive spot harder and harder every time. Wordless moans continue to spill from their mouths as they soar and near the edge, together, closer... closer.. closer... Then, when Kise breathlessly huffs, " _Dai-Daiki."_ Aomine knows it's time.

"Ryouta," Aomine is equally ready to burst from the pressure but he presses a chaste kiss into the back of Kise's neck before burying himself, all the way into Kise one last time, and growls, "Come with me, baby."

With a scream, Kise comes, and his body convulses in a forceful release. He sprays out white fluid against the back wall of the shower, his knees bend so he's only holding himself up with his hands on the grab bars, and his whole body shakes from the amazing orgasm. Simultaneously, Aomine lets out a guttural groan, and with the remainder of his strength, he pulls out so his hot cum bursts out and messily coats the back of Kise's legs and part of his ass.

No matter how many times they have sex, whether it's sweet, passionate love making, or rough, wild, mindless fucking- Aomine will never tire of sharing these mind-blowing orgasms with Kise.

Heartbeat pounding inside his head, his own legs shake so much he has to lean sideways against the shower wall to catch his breath properly. "So... How was that?" Aomine asks, voice a little higher than normal.

"Ha... Ha... Good..." Kise puffs hard trying to act aloof, but his chest is heaving from the aftershock though he's also lulled by fatigue and wants nothing more than to cuddle now. He then bends down and uses his hands to cup and splash some water to wash away his cum staining the shower wall, then shifts to do the same to Aomine's on his body, partially regretting washing away the thing that marks him as _Aomine's._

Teiko's former ace moves closer to his boyfriend so he is able to see how Kise's golden eyes are glowing with excitement and unusually flushed his cheeks are. "Just good?" Aomine offers a cheeky grin. "Is that all I'm worth? One, 'good,' ?"

"Mmmm," Kise turns around so he's facing Aomine, returns his smile and plants a small, chaste kiss on his lips. "We should do it in the shower more often so you can improve."

"I don't know about that," Aomine shrugs and flashes a cheeky smile- it appears his cocky arrogance does not return gradually. "I like fucking you hard into the bed. And at least that way, the mattress absorbs your loud moans."

Kise pretends to be scandalized. With his hands on his hips, he goes,

" _Ahomine_!"

"What?"

They're about to start bickering for fun and out of natural instinct when a loud, interrupting knock makes them jump.

There is a muffled, quiet but _deathly_ serious, " _Daiki. Ryouta."_ The two freeze and horror creeps onto their faces as they realize who it is. The absolute voice continues, " _You have thirty seconds to get out here, ten to explain yourselves, and twenty to die neatly. Kindly make sure you have enough blood left for me to paint the floor red."_

"Dumbass Dai-chan! Stupid Ki-chan! What were you thinking?!"

"Hey Ahomine! I'm gonna kick your ass to the moon for waking me up at this shitty hour."

"Aomine-kun, Kise-kun, it was very irresponsible of both of you to come here, especially. Akashi-kun has my full encouragement to kill you."

"This is what you get for not having your lucky item with you all the time nanodayo!"

"Mine-chin, Ki-chin, couldn't you two have been quieter? I was sleepy."

And then two milder replies,

"Aomine, since you woke Atsushi up, you'll have to feed him. Ah... you should know he always eats a lot of sugar in the morning."

"Ha ha! Ryo-chaaaan, I covered for you last time- you only have yourself to blame for this!"

* * *

 **Sweet ending. Sorry, smut's over. :p**

After an extremely rough scuffle, Aomine and Kise mange an extraordinary escape, break away to their campsite with adrenaline coursing through their blood, chasing away any possible drowsiness after their little rendezvous and hop back into the tent.

"Didn't think... Midorimacchi... could hit harder than Momoicchi." Kise mumbles, ducking under the entrance after Aomine. He turns around, bends down and tugs the zipper close and then moves back to a standing position. Slacking his jaw, he rubs his lip and frowns when he realizes it's cut.

"Did you see Akashi's face when she said she was gonna castrate me?" With a _whump,_ Aomine falls back into the air mattress with a soft sigh, hands resting on his poor, bruised face. "I don't think I've ever seen him that proud before. Oh, except for after that, you know, when she tried to kick me there."

Kise laughs a little before lying down beside him. "I can't say I regretted anything." Then he leisurely rolls over and props himself up with an elbow so he is facing Aomine. An expectant look forms on his face.

"Mmmmm." Unable to help himself, Aomine agreeably smirks, folding his hands behind his head as recent pictures of his memories float into his mind. "That fuck was definitely worth it."

"...You ruin everything, 'minecchi." Kise affectionately says at the lazy lump of a man he is in love with.

"Not everything," Aomine drawls, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Boldly, he reaches over and sensually strokes Kise's outer thigh through the pair of shorts Kise had hurriedly threw back on before they were chased out of the cabin.

"Really?" Kise can't help but laugh with sincere amusement. As usual, the gentle, down-to-earth sincere sound is sweet, melodic and charming to Aomine's ears and makes the corners of his mouth rise for a second, before Kise asks, "Right now?" and Aomine remembers he has to play his own part in their little game.

"Of course- you know I'd happily fuck you again, and again, and again..." Aomine breaks off, straightens his face so it's absolutely serious and states. "By the way, I think I want six rounds for my birthday." He pauses again, looking thoughtful. "No- wait, actually, eight."

Interest flickers through Kise's golden eyes. "We'll see about that." No, he's not completely against those ideas. "But... no more today." He decides as he gently pushes Aomine's hand off his thigh. To Aomine's snarky protests, he sternly points out, "Don't you remember the reason we went to their cabin in the first place? Because it's too crowded in here!"

 _The tent is bigger than the shower._ Aomine grumpily thinks to himself but doesn't say out loud because he knows once Kise has his mind set on something, he won't budge.

Though it's alright-

Aomine loves everything about Kise, even his stubborn side... Sometimes, e _specially his determination._

So the taller player just closes his eyes and shifts on the bed until he's in a completely comfortable position. Though he still allows Kise's bent knee to remain against his hip. Now, he just waits for the blond to grab his hand, and press himself against Aomine as they always do when they sleep. After all, it is still the middle of the night.. _or is it morning now?_

 _Doesn't matter,_ Aomine decides. Neither of them are morning people anyways- they can just sleep until Momoi comes to yell at them again.

Kise finally lets out a sigh and does exactly as Aomine expected, grasping the tanned man's hand and snugly wiggling until he's lying on his side with Aomine's arm wrapped around his body, their chests casually touching and moves his bent knee to rest on top of Aomine's. Kise then whispers, "Daiki..." into the rise on the cliff of Aomine's neck.

"Yeah?"

"I was just thinking..."

"Yeah?" Aomine's eyelids slide open so he can observe Kise's expression and for once, he's actually curious about his boyfriend's thoughts because it's not like Kise to lack confidence.

"You... remind me of a thunderstorm."

Aomine isn't sure whether he's being made fun of or that's some sort of compliment so he settles for arching an eyebrow, narrowing navy blue eyes. "Like as in... I'm loud like thunder? Or bright like lightning?" He jokes.

Mostly.

Somewhat.

Okay actually, he just wants to know what the hell Kise is trying to say.

"Not exactly. I was thinking about how you share some traits," Kise wears an unguarded, sincere expression. That doesn't change when he plainly says, "Like beauty." This instantly provokes Aomine to out a thick string of colorful swear words while he almost falls off his side of the mattress, recoiling like the blond has just done an Akashi and threatened to rip out his guts.

Kise swats him. "Daicchi, baka! Let me finish!" Aomine glares. Kise stumbles onwards anyways. "You have this amazing, agile gracefulness-"

Aomine chokes on his tongue.

"-in -well, I guess more like _from,_ basketball. And I see that litheness in you everyday, in all your movements..." Sheepish red has successfully painted over the former pink glow on Kise's cheeks. "You probably don't even realize it but when you walk, your footsteps are really light and you're naturally on your toes- it's like you're gliding across the room..." Kise can't help but grin ruefully. "Reminds me a little of my catwalk training for modeling, and frankly, I'm a little jealous your walking just _naturally_ looks that good."

The words fall away into a peaceful silence where Kise just stays patient for a reaction. Eventually, Aomine's calm pools of unreadable navy blue warm up and he makes an exasperated snort. "And you couldn't have just used, ' _athletic'_ you bastard?" He vocalizes the last word by punching Kise in the shoulder.

"I'm the bastard?" Kise yelps, mournfully tending to the area. "You just hit me for no reason!"

"Idiot," Aomine say, sour exasperation overshadowing the tender, affectionate way he really says the word. But Kise knows him like the back of his own hand; he has already caught the way Aomine's shoulders have gone lax and that signature frown has softened to the brink of a starting smile. Of course, almost immediately, Aomine realizes this and he goes back to scowling. "What kind of man wants to be called 'beautiful and graceful' ?"

"Don't worry, next time I'll call you out on your obnoxiousness!" _Though... Kise kinda has a thing for it..._

"Feel free to, spoiled, over pampered princess!" _Though Aomine more or less, always enjoys treating his boyfriend._

"Oh, shut up! And you should've just taken that as a compliment!"

" _Oh_ _,"_ With a cheeky grin, Aomine snaps and points in Kise's direction. " _That I did_ ,"

Kise snorts huffily. Aomine shifts away from the edge of the bed and returns into his original position with his arm wrapped tight around Kise, so once more, they're close, side by side, and together- _as they should be._ "So tell me more."

"Huh?"

"You heard me, tell me more."

Kise eyes him suspiciously like he's joking but after a moment, shrugs indifferently and thinks. "Okay... Oh, your smell! I like the way you smell." Kise says with a straight face.

"I thought you said I stink? Especially when I'm sweaty after basketball." Aomine looks so intrigued Kise has to hold back the urge to laugh.

"Yes, but it's okay." Kise admits. "It might just be I'm used to smelling like that, but sometimes I kind of enjoy it- it attracts me, makes me wanna jump you even more." Kise flashes him a quick, saucy grin before continuing. "Anyways, normally, you smell nice and musky... I can't really describe it... But maybe it's also just sensing." Aomine looks confused so Kise tries his best to elaborate, "Since I know you so well, it's kinda me sensing your strength. Sometimes I feel like power is just wafting off of you, you know? I mean for those people who can't see your skill immediately, they can at least feel the intensity you're giving off- it's like smoke rising off of coals or Takaocchi and Midorimacchi's sexual tension."

"So..." Aomine frowns, scratching his head awkwardly. "You can, uh, smell my power?"

"Sure." Kise shrugs, equally awkward- it's too hard to describe clearly, what's wrong with Aomine just being nice smelling? "I just meant I like the smell of rainstorm. And the smell of you."

"Okay..." Aomine is still a little confused. But he asks, "Tell me more?"

"Your power itself is another thing." Kise thinks about where to begin on this issue. "Like I said, you give off this aura of power." He grins again. "The day we met, when you threw a basketball at me-" Aomine protests, Kise ignores him. "I could tell you were really good, you know? Even before I saw you beating everyone on the court.

Yeah, you were friendly when you wanted the ball back, but when you got back into the gym, I could see the intensity in your eyes." Kise recalls.

"So I look hot, I smell good, and I'm a powerhouse of a boss. Storms look cool, rain smells nice, and lightning looks powerful." Aomine sums up, smiling at Kise's bemused expression of surprise. "Yes Ryou, I know how you think just as well as I know you. Anything else?"

"...You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Mmmhmmm."

"Okay, okay." Kise continues, shaking his head with amusement. "You're also fun, lots of fun- I think our little adventure proved that, didn't it?"

"...You think storms are fun?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Ha, I knew you were pretending to be afraid earlier!"

"Shut up and finish listening to me boosting your ego," Kise says affectionately. "And of course I love your personality. You're the weirdest combination of amazing someone could ever blend." He ends his impromptu comparison of his boyfriend to a thunderstorm by pressing a small kiss into Aomine's cheek. But then he can't help himself from adding, "I love you. I love all of you."

Aomine has never been good at confessions, even after all this time they've been dating. But he brings himself to mumble, "I kinda... maybe... love you too."

"Good." Kise beams brightly. _"_ Perfect."

"Just like you," Aomine doesn't realize that, that's _his own_ mouth moving until Kise shakes his head, looking unbelievably happy with eyes that sparkle like sunlight shinning through topaz and a smile that could've been a gift from the gods.

"No. Just like _us_."

* * *

 **Little extra after:**

After a little while of conversation and cuddling...

"You know, I could say so are you," Aomine counters.

"What do you mean?" Kise cocks his head to the side.

"Everything you said about me and storms- it's also true for you too."

"Really?"

"Let's see... Beauty? You're mouth dropping, head turning, heart stopping, breathtakingly gorgeous." Aomine murmurs honestly. "But that's just your outside. Your heart is equally amazing.

What was next... Oh, smell right? You smell like a combination of those awful perfumes your agent makes you wear," Aomine wrinkles his nose like he can smell them even now. "But you also smell like Kise- home, good company, loyal friendship, hard working, the love of my life...

And there was something you said about my power, right? Have you forgotten who Kaijo's strongest player and ace is? I've seen you destroy countless players on the court without having to try." Aomine thinks about the recent match where Kise absolutely crushed Kagami and left the former American on his knees.

"And then there was fun, wasn't there?" Aomine steals a gentle sweet kiss from Kise. "Who else is more fun then my partner in crime?"

Kise returns the favor- _he has to! -_ Then goes back to listening his boyfriend sweet talking.

"And of course, I love every single thing about your personality." Aomine nuzzles Kise's ear. "If I were to talk about it, or the rest of what I love you, I'd be stuck here for eternity."

"But you'd also be with me for eternity," Kise teases. "You don't want that?"

"Oh shut up," Aomine sips from Kise's lips. "I'm telling you why I love you, ain't that enough?"

"Of course," Kise smiles. "I love you."

"... I kinda... mostly... love you too..."

* * *

 **Alternate Ending:**

"Good." Kise beams brightly.

Aomine smiles too and everything feels perfect to Kise. Come on, he has an amazing boyfriend-slash-best friend, the hottest mind blowing sex he's ever had, every time they fuck, great friends, a fun job... What else could he need?

Aomine's eyes swiftly dart to his bag on the side. _Satsuki, you'd better be right about that ring... What if it's too small? What if he doesn't like it?_

 **Alternate Ending: Aomine proposes. (I may write that one day. :) :p)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Uh, I'll come up with one later? xD

 **Rating/Warnings:** M for smut, warning for stupid fluff. :p

 **Genres/Tags:** Established AoKise, sweet fluff, after sex cuddling

 **Story Notes:** Present tense. Before the breakline is basically all smut, after is all fluff.

 **Summary:** Again, I'll come up with something later. Lol..

Enjoy!

* * *

Running over fine pecs and powerful, broad shoulders, Kise's gliding touch starts featherlight, hands fast, slender fingers nimble. But Aomine makes him gasp until he digs his nails in, managing to create visible half-crescents, even as dark as Aomine's skin is.

As if Kise's breaths aren't short, limited, taken desperately enough, Aomine keeps turning his face to kiss him hard. This is his version of revenge, payback, because normally, Kise is the one who turns heads and steals his breath away. **  
**

Between those fervent kisses, Aomine alternates between gently nibbling on Kise's ear and slowly planting tender, sweet kisses on his nape, both unbelievable contradictions to the way his hands fiercely grip and pull Kise's hips while simultaneously bucking his own upwards to meet him.

Then with cheeks flushed scarlet red, chest heaving, Kise's golden half-lidded eyes, _still beautiful as ever_ , look up into his blue ones, silently asking. Pleading.

Aomine _can't_ help but feel a sadistic twitch of a different kind of pleasure.

He knows Kise is a great actor, knows they understand each other perfectly, knows they actually know each other better than they know their selves... And that when he's _out there_ in the world, out in front of the cameras, the reporters, the fans, he's a different person, forced to hide behind a different personality.

But every night, when Kise comes home to _him,_ the masking, the acting, the fakeness- it all melts away and Kise reverts to being just... _Kise_.

The way he is right now.

"Too proud to beg today?" Aomine chuckles a little.

Kise can't help but shiver at the low, husky tone. Maybe it's not intentional but even Aomine's laugh, normally contagious and sincerely happy, currently sounds like the audio definition of _sexy._ Kise tries to pout, "I don't _beg_ ," but the last word is cut off when Aomine slides his hand on Kise's hip up his body so he can tilt the blond's chin and pull Kise into yet another hungry kiss.

When Aomine finally releases him, Kise is properly out of breath. And he now has a harder time trying to regain it, because he can't help but moan with each of Aomine's increasingly powerful thrusts.

"Aahh...A-Aominecchi..."

"It's Daiki," Aomine breathes slowly. " _Ryōta_."

"Nnnghh... Dai-Daiki... I'm almost..."

Aomine smirks.

Though underneath him, Kise has his head tilted so he can see it - the devious, roguish grin, different from his regular warm smile, the one he has learned to associate with sexual, horny, controlling Aomine.

Aomine suddenly misses Kise's prostate and the blond lets out a disapproving pitiful mew that is absorbed into the covers and mattress beneath him.

"Mmmph... _Ryō_ ,"

He reacts to his nickname by raising his head a little.

And then in his ear, there's Aomine whispering sultry, dirty words in the deepest, hottest, sexiest voice Kise has ever heard.

And then Kise is tasting the cotton of the bed covers in an attempt to muffle his voice while Aomine swears hard, voice much higher than usual. Then, together, they come in a mind-blowing orgasm.

* * *

After a while, when they've cleaned up as best as two tired, lazy boys can, they lay together, quiet but peacefully so.

Both on their sides, Aomine has one arm under Kise's side, the other over his shoulder, around him. And though, logically, it should be uncomfortable for both of them, they're enjoying it.

Kise in particular, because an after-sex Aomine is usually the sweetest one.

He's proven right when Aomine casually intertwines their fingers and mumbles, "Baby?"

"Yeah?" Kise absentmindedly rubs his thumb over Aomine's wrist. He's drowsy but doesn't particularly want to sleep. Cuddling is... _nice._

He feels himself suddenly being turned towards his boyfriend, but before he can ask, Aomine has shamelessly covered his mouth, yet again. Though this kiss is like the ones that were pressed on his neck- all soft brushes, sweet tasting and gentle touches.

When they break away, when Aomine casually pulls away, Kise asks out of curiosity, "What was that for?" He shifts so he's comfortably facing Aomine.

"Just because I love you."

Aomine's reply is soft and uncharacteristically uncertain.

Kise can't help but laugh. "I know." He waits, waits for what he knows is sure to follow.

Aomine is a little more back to himself when he ( _somewhat_ playfully) growls, "You shitbag!"

"What?" Kise plays stupid, scratching his head dumbly.

"Say it!" Aomine begins savagely ticking, Kise's fatal weakness.

"Okay okay!" Kise gasps, wheezing for breath. When a thought hits him, he smirks. "Wow, I think I was more out of breath now, than when we were-"

"If you finish with, 'you need to do a better job,' I swear," Aomine threatens. "I'll fuck you to death, right now,"

"Oooh..." Kise is momentarily entranced by the idea of another round, but he's tired and knows Aomine is to. "Maybe next time sweetheart."

"You little shit, just say it!" Aomine delivers another round of ticking, to which Kise nearly falls out of bed.

"Stop, please!"

Aomine waits for him to finish giggling.

"Okay, Daiki," Kise's golden eyes sparkle, the amusement still there, but fading, being replaced by complete fondness. And this time, it's he who initiates the soft, loving kiss. Aomine allows it.

When Kise pulls away though, he smiles a glowing, sincere, beautiful smile that makes Aomine want to immortalize. Yes, Aomine wants to see those, _make them happen_ every day.

He thinks Kise can't read these thoughts but Kise can, he _knows_ him, so somehow, the impossible is done and Kise's smile gets even bigger, even brighter, even happier. As he says, "I love you too."


	4. Sleep

**Chapter info: Sleeping- A.K.A. - The One Where 'Sleep' is Done**  
 **Rating/Warning:** Sexual referencing, Teen or up  
 **Genres/Tags:** Fluff, Drabble, Sleepy Aomine is the best, humor, sexual referencing  
 **Story Notes:** Aomine's out of character, I know. xD  
 **Summary:** After a good, ( _Really Good_ ) night's sleep, Kise briefly gets to see the soft, sleepy side of Aomine Daiki. Very briefly.

As usual, enjoy! This was done while I was half asleep though, excuse mistakes!

* * *

When Aomine was sleepy, he was a surprisingly different person, Kise marveled. He had figured that being waking Aomine would piss him, but nope-

"Mmmmhmmm?" Aomine contently hummed into his pillow. "Kise, you smell nice."

"Come on, we gotta get going if we want to be on time." Kise glanced at his nightstand before noticing his clock was missing. Then he realized where it was. And how it had gotten onto to the floor.

"Five more minutes.." Aomine rolled over so he was lying face down into the mattress. "Please? _Kise, I love you_." Kise wondered how he could breath, much less, even think about falling sleep in such an uncomfortable position.

 _Well it wasn't so uncomfortable last night, was it?_

Kise felt his cheeks heat up a little. _No no, no dirty pictures right now._

He forced himself to shake it off. "Even that won't work right now, we really have to go."

"Don't wanna." Aomine mumbled, voice muffled. " _Sleeeeeeepy."_

"You know, you're really cute when you're sleepy." Kise stroked his boyfriend's hair, finger combing the messy strands of midnight blue. Surprisingly, Aomine's hair was just as soft as his own- Kise quite recently found this out, when his hands were roughly tearing through them, as he pulled Aomine closer... _Um..._

"Don't say that." Aomine finally rolled onto his back and let out a long yawn. "I don't do cute."

"That sounds a little more like you."

"Mmmhmmm." Aomine's eyes opened and instantly found Kise's. "What did you think about last night?"

"We're going to be late." Kise avoided the question, vying to stand up and slip into his jeans instead. "Momoicchi and Kurokocchi wanted us there early."

"Well, since we're already late," Aomine propped himself up sideways with an elbow and gave Kise a mischievous, devilish smirk that had the blond biting his lip. "Why don't we _enjoy_ the extra time?" The suggestiveness in his tone couldn't have been more clear.

"You know I think I like sleepy Aomine better." Kise huffed, desperately trying to find an ounce of annoyance in him. "At least he's smart enough to know how to keep me on my good side-"

"Hey, now I'm insulted." Aomine mockingly said, touching his chest. _Bare chest,_ Kise realized. Perhaps Aomine realized the fact at the same time. He pushed down the blankets wrapped around him and wiggled his hips provocatively, roguish smirk only widening. "By the way, I think all your sides look pretty good. You wanna slip out of those jeans now?"

Kise shot him a dirty look. But a part of him wanted to look southern...

"Come here pretty boy." Aomine motioned to the bed and hotly whispered, "Your jeans make your ass look good but I'd much rather see it up close and bare."

"You are the opposite of charming." Kise dryly said, trying not to laugh. "Sometimes I don't even remember why I love you."

"Because I'm nice when I'm sleepy? And I'm always sleepy after sleeping?" Aomine shifted a little. Kise's eyes couldn't help but follow the movements. "And I always sleep after sex, so if we do it now, I'll be nicer when we meet up with everyone else."

"That makes absolutely no sense." Kise knew the right thing to do was to be cold and leave the room so Aomine would end up following. But damn, were those hard abs drool worthy...

"Come on, you know you wanna." Aomine's dark blue eyes glowed. "I promise I'll be nice and sleepy after."

Kise snorted. "No you won't."

"Yeah, I won't." Aomine agreed, trying not to laugh at how well Kise knew him. "But I'll be nice and sleepy and sweet tomorrow morning. So what 'ya say?"

"You're paying for dinner. Momoicchi, Kurokocchi's and mine." Kise raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

"Fine." Aomine rolled his eyes. "If it gets you into bed."

It did.


	5. Need You Now

**A Song Fiction based off, Need You Now-Lady Antebellum.**

 **Summary: Aomine _finally_ realizes he likes Kise, but then he becomes afraid that if they did try a relationship, he'd disappoint Kise. ****So he starts to put space in between them.** **All the while, Kise is mutually pining. But putting Aomine's feelings above his own, Kise respects Aomine's wishes.**

 **Tags: Light ( _terribly written_ ) angst, fluff**

 **Notes:**

 ** _First_ , using their first names over their lasts depends on my mood and the story (personal headcannon: they've always been 'Kise' and 'Aomine', so they don't change that), but I kind of messed up here... So yeah, that's my lame explanation for the misnaming. xD**

 ** _Second_ , I've decided to make into a collection of drabbles instead of an actual story. Sorry!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The song's a mere background murmur to Aomine's drowsy ears while the darkness is nearly absolute, excluding the dim glow of his phone and the sliver of moonlight shining through clouded skies behind his half-shuttered windows.

 ** _Picture perfect memories, s_ _cattered all around the floor,_**

Without looking, Aomine finds, selects _type,_ then glides his thumb over the keypad. The fact that he's made errors is clear as crystal in his mind, but that's strange, seeing as he doesn't actually know what he's writing.

 _Or doing._

 ** _Reaching for the phone cause, I can't fight it any more..._**

Arms dotted with goosebumps, toes are cold against the hardwood flooring. After one more of many shivers, he wonders if he should turn on the heater, but the thought is shortly dismissed.

After all, the cold never hurt anyone.

It's _heat_ that _burns_.

 ** _And I wonder... if I ever... cross your mind,_**

He is playing music again because the thoughts haunt him the most at night, when it's soundless, too peaceful to do anything but think and reflect on _them._

 _Though he does wonder if Kise is doing the same._

 ** _For me it happens all the time..._**

To get more comfortable, Aomine shifts and leans farther back into bedside, allowing his head to tip back to rest on the mattress. Now he's able to make out the shape of the ceiling light. A dull ache in his tailbone remains a tiny reminder that asks why he doesn't lying on his bed like a rational person, but the thought is countered by the way he chooses to pretend it's because he's not tired right now, and not because he wants to forget that there would be empty space beside him.

Designated specially. _Just l_ _ike torn out pages of his story, missing puzzle pieces of his life, the gaping hole in his heart. Belonging here, with him should be Kise._

* * *

 **XXXXXXX**

 _"Hey." Soundlessly, Aomine walks up to the blond standing behind a vendor's cart. He knew Kise would be here, because he knows Kise, knows that the blond needs a mineral drink after every game._

 _"Hey- oh! Uh... Aominecchi... hi?" He spins around. Though his words implied he hadn't know who was speaking, from the way his eyes hadn't flashed with surprise, Aomine knows Kise is just trying to buy time._

 _Too bad for him._

 _Aomine barely hesitates before he blurts out, "...Wanna get out of here?"_

 _And then he's pleasantly surprised when Kise's face breaks into a gentle smile as he shyly murmurs, "Thought_ _you'd never ask."_

 **XXXXXXXX**

* * *

He doesn't realize his finger is slipping... hitting... _sending_.

 _ **It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now**_

Aomine glances at the empty, half-crushed cans littered around the room, and then back to his phone. The music appears to have decreased in volume, but Aomine actually knows it's because the drinking

All the drinking really does is just make him even more desperately moony than he already is. All his hopeless feelings that lead to nowhere, the never ending _what ifs,_ and the pointless thoughts that he _thinks_ he has managed to subdue- they're just mere embers constantly flickering on his smoldering heart. But then the alcohol is gasoline, thrown freely onto this semi-passive situation. With a snap, suddenly everything he feels is bursting into wild roaring flames beyond his control.

 _The fire consumes him._

 ** _Said I wouldn't call, but I lost all control and I need you now.  
_**

But soon enough, it burns out. The ashes and embers remain, waiting to burn again the next night, but the soft numbness left by the smoke is him bordering the line of consciousness. Soon, he'll trip and fall through the boundary into a peaceful sleep that isn't ridden with dreams.

 ** _And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now._**

Close _enough,_ Aomine smiles humorlessly. _But I'd change the words to, "I've always needed you."_

 **XXXXXXXX**

 _"...'s_ _been a while, huh?"_

 _"Yeah. It has..."_

 _There's a bit of awkward silence because they don't know how to pick up from where their chapter last left off. But basketball has always been their answer, so they let the uncomfortable conversation temporarily sink away while a game takes them afloat._

 _One round after another, the awkwardness melts away like summer sunlight on frost and they revert back to their old selves, where Aomine is trash talking, shoving, and bullying, and Kise is retorting, shoving back, and complaining again, like their lives depend on it._

 _"You forget how to play pretty boy?"_

 _"Shut up! And stop going easy!"_

 _"Then try to keep up, will ya?_

 _"That's funny coming from you, old man!"_

 _"Oi?! What was that Ryouta?!"_

 _"Haha, your hearing's gone bad too, huh Daiki?_ _I said, 'BITE ME!'"_

 _"... You actually have a fucking death wish, don't you?!"_

 _"No, but I can grant you yours!"_

 _"You little- C'mere, I'm gonna kill you!"_

 _"Ha! Catch me if you can!"_

 _By the end, they both have cramps in their sides from all the swigs of water they have stolen from mixing up each other's water bottles and all the fighting (mild bruises too), laughing and fun they've had._ _  
_

 **XXXXXXXX**

* * *

Kise rubs his eyes, yawns, and glances at his phone. The picture of a overjoyed and laughing Aomine, eyes shinning, smile bright, with his arms tangled around a younger version of him (equally ecstatic from winning their first championship together) gazing back at him makes his mouth slide into a ghost of the happy expression.

 _ **Another shot of whiskey, c**_ _ **an't stop looking at the door**_

Kise wonders why he rejected his agent's request to go to another important party with fans in favor of getting wasted alone on his porch in the middle of the night. _Or was it morning?_

He watches the occasional car drive by, headlights serving as beacons in the secluded dark world of night.

It's been drilled into his head thousands of times: _If something needs to be done, stop waiting and go get it done._ Whenever he's asked for advice by budding models, personal beliefs by media, this is his go-to phrase.

And yet, he immediately becomes a stubborn hypocrite who refuses to heed those words when the most important thing in his life, and _to him_ , raises an issue.

 _ **Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before**_

Most days, Kise wishes his _problem_ would simply just confront him.

Especially since Aomine was never one to be shy. Even when they'd first met, it was Aomine grinning, drawling, " _Hey pretty boy. 's Kise Ryouta, right_?" He'd immediately loved Aomine's straightforward honesty and bluntness. So why was it now, Aomine was perfectly content with avoiding him and letting him do as damn well pleased, as long as he wasn't personally afflicted?"

 ** _And I wonder if I ever cross your mind._**

Kise wants a confrontation.

That's right, a straightforward confrontation where they can sort things out, say the things they _want_ to say, _need_ to say. Where he doesn't have to disguise his feelings as a plastic copy of himself, letting the conversation fall through by simply nodding yes, shaking no. He wants to voice his feelings.

Frustratedly hiss _,_ _Damn it, why do you keep ignoring me?_

Desperately plead _,_ _Daiki, you have to stop pushing me away..._

Breathlessly whisper, _I know you're not exactly aware of me, but I like you and need you all the same... just thought you should know._

 ** _For me it happens all the time._**

And he hopes Daiki will, for some ungodly, impossible, insensible reason, _reciprocate_.

 _ **It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk,**_

 _ **And I need you now.**_

Absentmindedly he scrolls through his messages, mentally sorting and filing them in order of importance. Then, with a start, he realizes Aomine has started a new conversation with him... Subject less, untitled, Kise notes it began approximately four minutes ago.

His brain wonders why Aomine is also awake at this stupid hour, but the rest of his less rational self is struggling with deciding to ignore him. Or respond.

 _It's been weeks since we've spoken..._ What _could you possibly want? At this time?_

This surprise is a deadweight stone dropping into his stomach with acid worry boiling around it. Kise decides this could be an emergency- has to be. Why else would your ex best friend call you in the middle of the night?

Inhaling a breath of cool night air, he steels his trembling nerves and swipes to answer Aomine.

 **Untitled Conversation- Aomine (Aominecchi Daiki)**

Aomine _: hey ryouta_

Aomine _: you awak? I know its late_

Aomine _: if you are, get somme sleepif you arent, sweeet dreams_

Aomine: _so_

Aomine _: I was thinking_

Kise releases a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

He's tremendously relieved Aomine doesn't seem to be in any immediate danger, but confusion - _what the hell is going on_? - is taking over. After all, Aomine can be dumb, but not stupid; though anyone else reading the conversation might assume that a) he is or b) he's high.

And the worry churning inside him remains with those words, " _I was thinking..."_

Kise musters bits of his limited courage, selects the contact number, and dials. All the while, telling himself he just wants to make sure his friend is okay, and not that he wants to hear the reason of his pining.

 _ **Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now.**_

His phone connects, there's one ring-

"Hi." Aomine's usually gruff voice is a little breathless and higher pitched than normal, and right away, Kise is aware he's drunk. At once disappointment comes crushing down at him and his stomach sinks.

"Hi," Kise returns distantly, distracted by his personal thoughts. Obviously, Aomine being drunk, had nothing better to do but prank a friend, maybe give him a mini heart-attack.

 _But fuck it,_

 _ **And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now.**_

Kise would settle for drunk, oblivious, and unreciprocating Aomine who only saw him as a friend, over no Aomine, any day.

* * *

Phone pressed against his ear, Aomine struggles to swallow, his throat, mouth, tongue are dry. He has no idea what to say- _he never has_ , _not when it comes to Kise._

A couple seconds of silence passes by, where Aomine can actually listen to Kise's quiet inhales and gentle exhales. And lining it, what resembles uncertainty. Though the other's doesn't begin to match his own.

 _Goddamn it, why did I pick up? I should've ignored him!_

A tiny voice inside his head sniggers, _like you've been doing for the past few weeks?_ Still, none of the guilt is strong enough to wrench his pathetic, prideful self into apologizing.

 _ **Guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all.**_

Kise suddenly breaks through. " _Are you alright_?"

"'course I am," Aomine grumbles. He jolts when he notices how his voice sounds gravelly, pouty and petulant, a lot like Kise.

"So..."

Kise's voice returns and Aomine can practically see him; phone pressed to his ear, mouth forming shapes every second or so, but then, unsatisfied with those words, he closes his mouth again and bites his lips.

" _W_ _hat were you thinking?"_

"What?"

Clearing his throat, Kise clarifies, " _In the conversation. You said, 'so, I was thinking,'"_ The way he says those words gives Aomine the feeling that he's been going over them for a while, trying to decipher some sort of secret meaning. "So what were you thinking?"

Aomine doesn't bat an eyelash, doesn't blink, doesn't hesitate; the answer just calmly volunteers to present itself. So strolling out of his mouth is,

"I miss you."

 _ **It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now.**_

The line goes quiet. Aomine visualizes Kise gaping like a fish forced out of water, out of his comfort zone.

But suddenly, in a quiet, chuckling whisper comes,

" _Aominecchi you're the worst."_

 _ **And I said I wouldn't call but I'm a little drunk and I need you now.**_

The way Kise sounds like he's shaking his head, crying, and laughing all at the same time makes something in his stomach burble warmly. it's not like the intense and aggressiveness of fires; this feeling is simply _warm._ From his cold toes all the way up to his forehead, Aomine feels warm, more lighthearted than he has in a while.

"Yeah," Lips touching the phone screen, Aomine smiles to himself in the darkness. "But that's the best part of me."

The cold, iron barriers between them, built over the last few weeks, pretty much completely break down in the next seven minutes.

 _ **And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now.**_

They still dance around the topic of him ignoring Kise, and why Kise accepted that decision, but everything else brightens bit by bit. Indirectly, they mutually agree to slowly rebuild their friendship.

-xxXXxx-

In the process, Kise is reminded of a few things about Aomine, including,

 _Aomine is insensitive, blunt and not one to sweet talk or suck up, and to dumb to pick up on any sort of subtle hint one might drop._

 _Aomine's shoulders are broad and defined, more so than his own._

 _Aomine is his best friend. Their banter is back to being easy and carefree; Aomine always manages to draw out Kise's feelings in a way so that he can't help but think, screw all the expectations he's given as a model, and he can act completely like himself._

 _Aomine is l-a-z-y._

 _Aomine is kinda ruggedly attractive, with his classic bad boy look and his casually-badass attitude. Though his obnoxious smirks don't make Kise's heart flutter, Aomine's rare smiles tend to do the trick._

 _Aomine understands him. Sometimes when he walks into the room, distressed, upset or seething with fury, Aomine will quietly get up to move to him, nudge him a little, stay by his side, and make him forget all his problems._

 _Aomine can brighten his day, or make it interesting- two severely different things._

-xxXXxx-

And Aomine does the same _, relearning,_

 _Kise is a little shit, a whining man-child, and a fricken spoiled princess._

 _Kise has hands smaller than his, and that they look kinda holdable._

 _Kise is his best friend. One night, they rip a prank on Akashi that is so epic, Nijimura punishes them by kicking them both off the team for a week and sending them to tutoring classes._

 _Kise's favourite soup is quote, "Onion gratin, not French onion, you dolt!"_

 _Kise is pretty with his chiseled face, slim waist, milky skin, hair golden blond, eyes liquefied amber, heart-stopping smile, (not that BS grin he gives to his fans) and with a personality that can be summed up as, human sunshine. He's pretty much a male cheerleader._

 _Kise's fighting spirt is what keeps Aomine on his toes in their games, so much that Aomine actually has to start practicing again, just to make sure he can stay on top, one step ahead. Though, every once in a while, he lets Kise win a close game._

 _Kise is a necessary constant in his life that went missing. Now that he's back, Aomine doesn't think he'll ever be able to let go._

 _ **I just need you now.**_  
 _ **Yeah**_ **b** **aby,** _ **I need you now.**_


	6. Public Affection

When Kise laughs and throws his arms around Aomine's neck, they all react a little differently, because they remember how it usually leads to the couple making out.

Midorima sniffs, pushes his glasses farther up his nose, and excuses himself to go inside to buy a drink. Murasakibara follows suit, mumbling he needs another snack. Momoi smirks, turns her head away to try and stomp it down, looks back at the couple, and then repeats. Kuroko just stares neutrally. Nijimura makes a face like he's just discovered what a sock tastes like. Akashi folds his hands in his lap and smiles, apparently at the leaves skittering in the wind.

Kise leans into his boyfriend affectionately, and says, "Daiki, let's-"

"Don't call me that."

Kise blinks.

Kuroko mildly says, "What would you prefer Kise-kun to call you, Aomine-kun?"

Aomine shoots him a dark look, then shakes his head, muttering under his breath to himself.

Akashi can't resist. "I'm sorry, I couldn't catch that, _Daiki,"_ Aomine's head shoots up. He glowers, and silently mouths some choice words that makes Akashi smile wider. "Dear me, I must be getting deaf. What was that?"

" _I said_ , I hope you're having a very nice day."

"Thank you, _Daiki_."

Kise is a smart guy. He throws both legs across Aomine's, firmly preventing the other from standing, and purses his lips in a frown. "Aominecchi, calm down."

Aomine opens his mouth, but Nijimura beats him to it, growling, "Kise, please stop straddling your boyfriend in public."

"Yes," Kuroko adds coolly. "It's highly disturbing."

"What do you mean?!" Kise throws his hands up, crying, "How can you- I wasn't-"

Though perhaps with good intentions at heart, Aomine must be true to his nature; he smirks. "Jealous boys? My boyfriend's _so_ _hot_."

"Felt sorry for Kise actually," Nijimura retorts, while Momoi recoils anyways, possibly having been traumatized by a wrong interpretation. "Must suck, being with you."

Still smirking cockily, Aomine smugly crosses his arms around his chest. "Nah, Ryouta only does it when he wants too."

It takes everyone nearly a second to get it, but when they do, Momoi reaches over Kise's shoulder and straightforwardly slaps her oldest friend, nice and hard. Kuroko, regularly expressionless, coughs for a long minute. Nijimura loudly swears. Even Akashi's eyes widen a little, because wow, even he didn't think they'd actually... started to...

"I can't believe Ki-chan ever said yes to you, you disgusting pig!"

"Aomine-kun, you should be highly ashamed of yourself for thinking like that."

"Punk, double the training schedule for you, for the next- uh, two weeks, no three!"

"Make that months." Akashi inputs.

Aomine appears not to have heard them, still rubbing his doubtlessly sore cheek, growling back at Momoi.

But Kise is absolutely mortified, face flushed scarlet. He makes a move to stand, and snaps, "Daiki, you- YOU ABSOLOUTE BAKA."

Aomine's hand shoots out and grabs Kise's wrist. Aomine smiles, apparently still willing to press his luck. "Babe, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean anything."

Kise glares. "Let go of me."

"No," Aomine's voice suddenly lowers, turning dead serious. "I'll never let you go. I love you."

Kise looks him over once, and sighs, apparently deciding as troublesome as Aomine is- he's worth it. So he dips his head, and bends down, pressing a small, chaste, forgiving kiss on Aomine's lips.

Everyone else lets out some sort of incredulousness scoffing noise, subtle head shaking, or eye-rolling at the easily granted absolution. But then these individual reactions melt together into a collective, pained groan, when Aomine's hand snakes around the back of Kise's nape and pulls him closer, deepening the kiss.

"Ki-chan, you can't just forgive him like that!" Momoi has her hands over her eyes, but can't help peeking through the spaces between her fingers.

"Aomine-kun, Kise-kun, please stop. I would prefer to keep my Fridays _puke-free_." Kuroko's snark is rare and should always be treasured when it's shown.

"Yo, idiots, you're being _realllly_ gross here." Nijimura gives Aomine the finger.

"If you continue, I'll have to find new starters." Akashi isn't kidding.

Aomine and Kise are too distracted to care.


	7. Chapter 7

_(Kise swore he'd never met a dumber guy. And that was really saying something, because he'd met some impossible people in the modeling industry. But Aomine Daiki, ace of the Teiko basketball team could sweep and all of them shell-shocked with his level of stupidity.)_

It was supposed to have been a group thing, but then Kise caught the little glances traded between them, between, Murasakibara and Midorima and Kuroko and Momoi, Akashi and Nijimura and then was struck with the realization the day was more like _couples' day._ Which meant while the pairs hung out together, he'd be stuck with _Aomine_.

( _Was that a good thing? Or bad?_

( _They hadn't really talked since that night. So when Aomine flagged him down after class, he wasn't quite sure, what the other would say._ )

"Ryo- Kise, wait-" Aomine had paused, looking sheepish, awkward for a moment. The same moment in which Kise had foolishly tricked himself into believing Aomine was about to say something sweet, something that would make his him drop to the floor with a happy sigh, make his heart melt, something that would make him like Aomine even more than he already did.

But then out of Aomine's baka mouth, came, It's not a date. It's _not_."

Kise had taken it at face value, stepped back, shrugged, and said, " _Fine_."

( _Because it honestly was, fine.)_

Because there was still that night forever seared into Kise's heart and memory, the one where Aomine had played basketball with him after school until they'd seen the lazy drizzle that had been inconsistent through practice abruptly break into endless downpour through the second floor windows. Granted, it was him who challenged Aomine into running outside, but it was _Aomine_ who'd pulled him out soon after, shouting, "Come on! Live a little." It was Aomine who'd raced him to his house. And on the steps of his porch, right after he'd touched the door handle, it was Aomine who'd suddenly reached out, breathlessly called, " _Ryouta_ ,"

 _(Maybe it was the way he'd said his name.)_

And then it was Aomine kissing him-

To be more accurate, it was Aomine throwing one hand behind Kise's head so when he stepped forwards, the momentum of his steps merely carried into gently pressing Kise into the door, and then fixing him with questioning eyes as blue as the midnight sky. Kise had swallowed hard. Nodded.

They'd brushed lips first, actions uncertain and tentative, maybe a little rough-

And then Kise learned the taste of Aomine's messy tongue.

When Aomine pulled away, he'd barely met Kise's eyes before roughly dashing out, "Good night."

 _(And yeah, he'd liked all of it.)_

So if Aomine couldn't yet verbally admit something he already knew, that was fine with Kise. He would convince Aomine to _properly_ talk to him through other means.

( _A kiss,_ _Kise decided, would be a place to start.)_

( _But goddamnit, what was with his intelligence levels?)_

He'd thrown every hint he could think about.

Starting from when they'd jumped onto the bus, overcrowded with people. Aomine had grabbed a swinging handle and Kise moved close to him, so their shoulders grazed, and the back of their hands unsheltered by their short sleeveless t-shirts brushed.

 _Aomine hadn't moved away, Kise knew this_.

When they waited in line for tickets, Kise proclaimed his thirst. Brought out a water bottle stuffed into his bag, twisted the cap off, raised it to his lips, and let the water trickle into his mouth.

 _Aomine had chosen to take the view, Kise swore._

But then, for a good hour-and-half Aomine kept his eyes glued to the screen covering nearly all of the wall.

Which rendered Kise's plans useless.

( _Science experiment: If you stare at one's lips for a long time, will they kiss you?_

 _Hypothesis: Yes._

 _Data/Results: No._

 _Conclusion: The movie has to suck enough so they'll actually spare you a glance.)_

As they walked out of the theaters, Kise brooded in silence, only half-listening to the others' comments.

"Ki-chan," Momoi clung to Kuroko's who didn't particularly seem to mind. "What was your favourite part?"

 _The part where Aomine didn't kiss me- oh wait, that was all of the movie, wasn't it?_ Kise reigned the thought back, settling for a light shrug, accompanied by a lopsided smile. "Oh, I can't choose- it was such a great movie."

"Yeah," Aomine broke in. "You know what my favourite part was?"

Kise's eyes flicked up. "What?"

"When the guy stopped chasing after the blond because he caught the attention he wanted. And then the blond started chasing after him."

Kise racked his brain, trying to recall the story. The movie had mainly revolved around the protagonist's interactions with his best friend, not the lead female, who wasn't even close to blonde. What was Aomine going on- _oh._

 _("Tetsu-kun and I are going to go watch the sequel, okay?_

 _"Mido-chin, I'm hungryyy~"_

 _"Shuuzou- let's discuss positions in the new play-"_

 _"Sei, let's not.)_

"Look," Aomine rolled out ever so slowly. "I... don't really know what you want."

 _"Me?_ " Kise was incredulous, but in his defense, rightly so. "When you kissed me- did that not mean something?" Even as he spoke, Aomine's words echoed in his head; _T_ _he guy stopped chasing after the blond- b_ _ecause he_ _caught the attention he wanted._

He let his eyes flash dangerously to protect himself from showing how humiliated he felt. "God, was this some kind of joke to you? So you could see if you could woo a model, see if you had the skill?"

"No," Aomine grit his teeth, throwing his hands up, "That's not what I meant! I mean, I meant it when I said I don't know what you want. But I know what I want." His eyes, dark and insistent bore honesty into Kise's and he nearly forgot what he'd been thinking. "I want you."

 _(What?)_

Kise saw Aomine's clear, even gaze held no regrets when he repeated, "I want you. I like you. I just didn't know how you felt. I wanted to know before I said anything- um, in case, I made a mistake and you didn't... you weren't interested."

Kise wanted to believe it, _so badly._ But he's grown cautious over time, as his job, people, and the industry required him to. Readying himself to read Aomine's reaction, he tried, "Could you not tell I wanted you to kiss me? Through the whole day?" There was just the right touch of skepticism in his voice.

Aomine looked taken aback. "What?"

And then Kise knew. Had Aomine said, _no_ or given any other response, Kise would've likely suspected Aomine was being dishonest. But this _,_ the unbelievable dumbass blinking cluelessly at him, _this_ was definitely Aomine, in the full light of integrity.

"Okay then. Never mind." Kise sighed, relaxing. He couldn't help it, if he'd learned Aomine had just been playing him...

"Um, okay?" Aomine said, raising a brow awkwardly. He cleared his throat once. "So..."

"So..."

There was a tiny grain of silence where they both looked at each other with silly, half-smiles, waiting for the other to step up to the plate and bring the conclusion of their idiocy.

It was Aomine who did it, taking a short drag of breath, before saying, "Kise- Ryo, will you- _officially,_ date me?" His hopefulness showed, not just in voice but shone in his eyes as well.

( _And maybe it was this rare vulnerability he knew Aomine only showed around him, but- )_

"Yeah. Okay." Kise spilled out, he couldn't help it- the burst of happiness was making him, babble, "Yeah, okay. Yeah." The warmth that seeped through his body and enveloped his heart seemed to double when Aomine reached forwards, wrapping his arms around him. In his ear, Aomine whispered, "I forgot to mention, I wanted a raincheck on that kiss. Can I have it now?"

" _Kisses_ , plural." Kise emphasizes firmly.

Aomine doesn't object. Not in the slightest.


	8. Try- and Keep Trying

**Fandom:** Kuroko no Basket **  
Pairing:** Aomine Daiki/Kise Ryouta **  
Picture** is art of **kyoyachi  
Written for: rubyfiamma** \+ **annissarh** (two really awesome people/writers/friends! Go check them out!) **  
**

 **Warning:** T, just bcuz the profanity. On Aomine's side, who else really xD  
 **Prompt Bases + Tags:** Sees/hears what he wants + Pretending is easier + Mutual Pining + Light Angst  
 **Additional Notes Below!** :D

"Aominecchi-"

Aomine doesn't notice the lack of other people- strange, considering the bus stop is usually bustling with impatient soon-to-be passengers- he just sees the limp bag at the other's feet, trails his gaze up to the dark stain on his blue shooting jacket, notes how Kise has his fingers against his temple and blinks, slow but repetitive, like he's disoriented.

Aomine has his jacket off in a second, and with another, he's reaching for Kise. Kise allows him, allows Aomine's warm, calloused fingers to brush over the back of his hand before sliding past his wrist so Aomine can lead him into pulling his arms through the armholes. Aomine releases him, and steps back to gently tug the coat close.

" _A-o-mi-ne-cchii_." Kise sounds out carefully, leaning back into the glass wall of the stop so he can tilt his chin up with something akin to curiosity. Aomine's eyes involuntarily flick over to the blue of his earing, dark in the dim lighting from the overhead streetlights in the bust stop's vicinity, but visible against the red of his cold ears. Kise's eyes settle into some hazy, half-lidded state as he murmurs, "Daiki, what are you doing here?"

"You're drunk, Kise." The sharp exhale Aomine expels isn't just due to the clarification statement, he is truly caught off-guard because there's something... _different_ about hearing his given name fall from Kise's lips. Aomine's eyes trace how they purse right before Kise opens his mouth and they can see his breath in the air.

The smell is faint, not full-on rank.

Still sufficient in stirring Aomine back into his train of thought- _why had the idiot figured it would be a good idea to drink in celebration?_ Aomine gruffly says, "Where the hell are your teammates?"

"Drunk." Kise mumbles, slouching. In afterthought, he adds, "I'm not drunk. They are. I'm not."

 _Kise is no longer a teammate. (He chose Kaijo; Aomine chose Touou)_

"Yeah, yeah, princess. Drunk where?" Aomine humors him. Their victory against Fukada was well-earned but Aomine's not so sure about the drinking. "Bar, club, house, what?" It's not too late; he can spare an half-hour to see Kise home, or at least safe.

 _ _Kise was never his responsibility_. (Never will be) _

"Don't know. Don't care." Kise says and when he shrugs his shoulders, Aomine practically bristles with the frustration- but it's not aimed at the blond. What kind of friends does he have? Allowing him to wander the streets alone and drunk with a setting sun- it was a miracle he'd made it to a bus stop, nonetheless one that was actually on route. Getting lost was practically a goddamn guarantee.

 _They are not friends. (Not anymore)_

It's been more than a year since Aomine has gone to Kise's house. A year since they've hung out together. Almost a year since they last played a one-on-one. Less than year since they talked about stupid things like the terrible teachers they wouldn't be missing, and the new classes they've each enrolled in, pretending the topic of different schools doesn't exist. But the memory and address of Kise's home are still fresh. Aomine clears the itching pest in his throat out, doesn't add an excuse like, "This bus takes too long." just says, "C'mon. I'm taking you home."

 _Kise is not his. (Not his to have, not his to keep)_

 _Fuck._ This whole conversation has just reiterated everything Aomine knows already. _Damn Kise, damn his teammates, damn himself._

"Daiki, I like you."

 _What. The fuck._

Aomine closes his eyes, and draws a long, quiet breath that rattles because of his heart stuttering. There are so many questions instantly, because _what is happening?_

He misses how Kise sits up straight and something not dissimilar to insecurity flickers through his eyes, though he does hear, "Daikiiiiii, I'm still cold." Kise's signature whine is back in his slightly slurred voice, and he blinks like he isn't drunk, like he hasn't just dropped a fucking bomb on Aomine, like he knows what he said, _like he meant it_

Kise tugs on Aomine's sleeve, and looks up into Aomine's eyes with his own stupid puppy ones that are so wide and guileless Aomine wants to use them as evidence an excuse to believe in Kise's words.

Kise doesn't give him much of a choice.

He gets a messy two-handed grip on Aomine's button up and yanks Aomine down. Their lips crash.

It's so weird- Aomine's heart is thumping too fast for him to count its beats- god, why would he want to count that- it's jumped up his throat, but feels like it's thrumming in his ears at the same time-

It's so weird- their teeth clink once or twice awkwardly- their noses are touching- Kise's is cold- Kise's tongue is surprising and warm and wet against his own- the mild bitterness of Kise's past drink is on his own tongue- Kise's bangs are brushing his forehead-

It's so weird- Aomine doesn't realize he's adjusting his hands that had reflexively caught him against the wall for a better grip or that Kise has a hand against his jaw, tilting both their heads for better access.

It's so weird... Aomine finally closes his eyes and accepts it.

He forgets all about the unsaid words, the, " _Kise, damn it, I'm sorry for letting you go that day. I mean I'm not sorry for letting you fall, we both wanted a real game... but it should've been me picking you back up_." lingering in the back of his mind and forgives himself just enough to melt into Kise.

When Aomine finally pulls back, Kise slides his free hand to Aomine's forearm to imply _stay._ And because he never seems to have any control over himself when it comes to the blond, Aomine obeys, readjusting his arms to get himself more comfortably braced over Kise, keeping himself close enough for their foreheads to brush. Though the change is fast, Aomine does not miss how Kise's eyes go from half-lidded like he wants to get into Aomine's pants _right now_ , here on the streets for the world to see for all he cares, to shining gold uncertainty as he searches Aomine's, like he could somehow, for some reason, have some sort of protest.

Aomine doesn't. Though he does want an explanation because _he still has no idea what is going on._ Though he's on the path of thinking it's something fucking wonderful.

Kise is first to open his mouth, to announce, "I'm warm now." And Aomine suddenly notices his flushed cheeks- red from alcohol consumption? Or from their- their activities? Aomine stumbles over the idea in his head because it still feels... funny.

But his apprehension is justified; because kissing your former best friend-turned-unrequited crush ( _Oh yeah-_ Aomine still had questions)- wasn't it bound to feel more like a silk woven dream that would tear at first touch rather than plain reality?

Aomine pulls away because he can still hear Kise's slowing inhales and exhales, he can feel the exuded warm air on his own lips, and he doesn't want to keep looking at Kise because _god_ , he still can't believe this is happening- happened- whatever.

 _Fuck._

Aomine hisses in his head. Now that he can take air in again, now that the warm feelings are cooling back down, the realizations and excuses are coming back in.

He knows Kise is drunk. He knows alcohol gets people to do stupid things. _Fuck._ Kise is probably one of those impulsive idiots who do whatever they want in the moment but forget it by the next morning. _Fuck._ Kise probably hadn't even meant to kiss him- _Fuck,_ probably wasn't even aware of what he'd said. Maybe the blond had just thought he was doing a dandy job of playing a prank to scare Aomine.

 _Well it worked._ Aomine clenches a fist and it feels like something is doing to the same to his heart.

It really sucks that he's always been one to see and hear just what he wants. Fuck him if he thought he heard Kise confessing, fuck him if he thought he'd seen full awareness in Kise's eyes, fuck him for thinking Kise meant all of it. It's like this, every single time. Kise gives him an opportunity, invites him to chase him, and then he screws up, he's too slow, or he understands Kise is up with the stars and Aomine only has himself to blame for latching to the ground because he's not good with uncertainty, not good with the uncharted territory of the skies.

Dammit.

 _He wants Kise_.

* * *

Kise tries so hard not to panic, but it's goddamn near impossible. He can feel his heart practically trying to vibrate out of his chest, and its berating is justified because, _what was he doing?_

Sure, he'd been aware 'liquid courage' was a thing. But he hadn't pictured it would push him so far, hadn't thought the drinking would affect his thoughts at all, at least not when _Aomine_ was suddenly _right there._ But then he'd dropped his coat over Kise and then started with some nice words in some emotion akin to concern. Acting like a ditz had felt natural, felt like the easiest thing to go with. And then he had accidently said, _Daiki_ and then he wasn't quite sure how to fall back out of it. Because before Kise knew it, all the stupid feelings of pining, and yearning, and longing he thought he had compressed from vividly conspicuous to insignificant to the eye burst out. Then, he was spouting out garbage, and then _\- then_ there really was no going back.

He slaps a hand over his face to help bury his inward groan.

 _Oh god, this was so humiliating._

It was a miracle Aomine hadn't just punched him right then and there. Maybe he was just surprised, but when he'd opened his mouth, Kise couldn't resist swiping his tongue over the other's. And then he'd gotten lost, half delirious with the intoxicating taste of Aomine's mouth, half simply in euphoria _because it was really happening_.

Kise lets out another inward groan.

As distracted as they both are in their individual states, the bus pulls up without much notice from either of them in all its loud, humming, gray bulk, slipping forwards to allow them to enter through the back door.

Kise grabs his stuff, stands up without a word, and albeit unsteady- he still has to play his role- leads the way. He can hear Aomine's feet behind him, the footsteps blunt like he's somewhat dazed too.

Once they are up the steps, Kise jabs the button on the machine on the right and it spits out a ticket. He snatches it up and heads to the back of the bus before plopping down into one of the elevated seats.

Aomine _is an idiot._

The power forward sits right beside him and Kise is suddenly stuck between the window and- and... whatever the label for Aomine is.

The bus's whirring keeps his erratic assumption Aomine can hear his heart pounding down. Kise keeps staring out his window, but he doesn't really see the blurring film of trees and tastefully designed buildings skating by because the darkening night provides a perfect backdrop to see a reflection of them.

Kise notes his lips are a little swollen and touches them gingerly. Seeing them is another reminder that he tasted Aomine not five minutes ago, and the flush on his cheeks and the heat on his nape revives. Aomine, thankfully, is looking away from him too.

Kise grinds his teeth in contemplation. Maybe he's naïve believing it's not out of disgust- _because otherwise why would Aomine be sitting with him?_ But he still can't quite invent a idea to explain Aomine's behavior, why the tanned boy has been sitting in equal silence... Unless, maybe he... enjoyed it too?

Kise's heart eagerly wiggles at the possibility, but he can't stand the discomfort. Kise exhales the breath, exhales the idea.

But it comes back.

 _Aomine wants you._

 _No he doesn't,_ Kise argues. _I confessed and he didn't. Simple ending._

 _Aomine wants you._

 _No he doesn't,_ Kise shakes his head slightly, not daring to use the vehemence he feels in fear Aomine will notice. _He pulled back and- and I was selfish, okay? I made him stay._

 _Aomine wants you._

 _No he doesn't,_ Kise stares down at his lap because all the frustration is starting to burn in his throat, because this conversation feels identical to the ones he used to have with himself back when they went to Teiko, and look where that has gotten him? Nowhere. _He's not saying anything right now because he doesn't want to hurt my feelings, he doesn't want to tell me he... doesn't like me._

Aomine doesn't want to eliminate their friendship that appeared to be healing, at least before Kise had pulled his shit.

The imaginary voice finally disappears but Kise doesn't feel relieved. That just means he's run out of reasons for trying to pretend Aomine could like him back.

Internally, Kise laughs without mirth.

Ah, he's always been one to see what he wants- even when he's in complete darkness, he can make himself pretend he sees a star shining. Even back when Aomine walked away and never looked back, and Kise stared at the 5 on his retreating jersey, he only saw the sun, something so above him setting down for the night, not that he was being left alone again.

There isn't enough time in the universe to forget about Aomine. And there isn't enough potential pain he could inflict on Kise to make him want to forget.

Kise takes a deep breath to calm himself. It doesn't work so he takes three more, each gradually shorter and quieter. His pulse slows alongside.

Though Aomine isn't bringing it up right now, Kise is sure they'll have to talk about it... sometime. Kise blinks. The easiest way to avoid any friendship (further) damaging conflict is to pretend it never happened.

Man. It's gonna really suck pretending everything is okay.

Kise straightens. He'll play up amnesia, he'll play innocent Kise Ryouta with no recollection of the night besides a fond memory of beating Fukada into the ground and then cheering and hollering with his teammates.

 _What bus station?_

 _Who was with him?_

 _What kiss?_

And then Aomine will be relieved because he'll be free to go on his way, to turn away from Kise once again, continues being the infallible rising sun while Kise will watch pathetically before attempting to stumble along his own.

 _Dammit._

Being left behind really sucks.

 _He wants Aomine._

The rest of the bus ride and all the feelings that travel with Kise hurts more than his headache.

* * *

 _ **AUTHOR NOTE:**_

 _"You're in love with him, and he's in love with you, and it's like a goddamn tragedy, because you look at him and see the stars, and he looks at you and sees the sun. And you both think the other is just looking at the ground."_

 _"But god, just notice you're both looking at the sky."_

 _\- (LOW-KEY CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHERE THIS ORIGINATED? OR IF ANYONE HAS THE AOKISE GIF SET FOR IT?)_

\- Ruby, the angst is for you. And this was the one that took me three days and it's like, 1500 words? xD

\- Sarah, I swear, I'll learn how to write drama some day, xD

\- I wanted to write a drabble and it got long, I'm not even sorry.

\- Takes place after hitting Haizaki; Didn't mention that because I got lazy.

\- AGAIN, the beautiful picture is art of kyoyachi. AND MAN, DID I GO OFF TOPIC. I was assuming the idea was probably one of established otp smooching, but then I screwed myself over :D

\- Let's pretend the wooden (shelf? idk) is actually a see through pane of glass.

\- Constructive criticism wanted! I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED IT because I did a hell of a lot freaking out the sentences didn't make sense xD


	9. No Questions Asked

**Summary:**

They have but one rule- no questions asked. Aomine breaks that rule.

(Maybe, just maybe- Kise lets him)

Or the one where Kise asks Aomine for a hickey, and Aomine responds (almost) accordingly.

* * *

"Aominecchi. I need one right now." Kise pleads.

" _No_."

"But, _Aominecchi_!"

Aomine finally opens his eyes. It takes a moment to adjust to the shade of the overhanging maple, its branches gently swaying in the spring breeze, handing out little red leaves spotted with brown, and another to locate the two big pools of gold, wide and innocent trained on him. Aomine stretches his arms over his head as he sits up with a sore tailbone, a raised brow and a whole lotta grouchiness. "Go away, it's Friday and my friend Sleep is coming over soon."

"Aominecchi, you actually owe me one." Kise's exasperation shows in his voice and on pink lips pressed into a pout. Aomine doesn't quite mind the latter, or that when Kise drops onto the ground beside him and leans over, their shoulders brush- but _god_ , the little bitch's whining is going to _end_ him.

"And how do you figure that?" Aomine demands, scooting backwards so he can lean into the maple's trunk. He plants his hands atop trimmed grass and says, "You forget last week, when you called at fucking three in the morning and I drove over to Maji Burger and rescued your stupid ass from your stupid fangirls?" At the faint stirs of the memory, he lifts his head and shakes it, recalling, "You jumped in, screaming, ' _Fucking drive, please drive, please fucking drive!'_ My debt's paid." He yawns, closing his eyes again.

(And maybe a part of him is actually rooting for some excitement, maybe that's why he adds, "So, go away," because he knows Kise _never_ does what he's told.

 _Kinda like himself, but that's irrelevant.)_

"Nah, didn't count," Kise waves a hand dismissively. "You knew what was going on, so that was just a normal favor."

"Oi! That's not what you said!" Aomine's eyes snap open.

"...oops."

Kise is fucking _grinning_.

Aomine glares, then punches him in the gut, fast and hard.

Kise gasps, doubling over with both hands over the targeted spot like he's staunching the flow of a fatal wound. When he finally finishes spluttering and his back straightens, he raises and turns his head to scowl.

Aomine sighs mournfully. "I guess we're even now." The greatest, most glorious, most gratifying moment of his life- gone way too fast for his liking. With reluctance, he says, "Alright, now what do you want?"

Kise's eyes glint and he perks back up like the wilting flowers in one of Aomine's fantasy video game, apparently instantly revitalized. "Remember the rules."

"Yeah, yeah," Now it's Aomine's turn to wave disdainfully. They've been through the process at least a dozen of times. "Now what is it?"

Something darts through Kise's eyes fleetingly, like a fleeing rabbit- _maybe uncertainty_ , Aomine thinks. But then Kise is already standing up, going, "-a hickey."

Aomine blinks. Again. And again. "What?"

"I- need- a- hickey." Kise repeats slowly, eyes flickering between Aomine to judge his reaction and the ground, and Aomine faintly notes, _oh, oh it's embarrassment,_ before he is bursting out, " _What_?"

"...no questions asked?" Kise tries for a grin, for their usual inside joke, but it's weak and Aomine metaphorically shoves both away as he surges into a stand too. His pants have probably got new grass stains and there's a bit of mud dribbling down his left cuff from making some reckless decisions on his bike, but he didn't bother worrying about it before he was thinking about a nap, and he's certainly not going to worry about it now.

"You can't- wait- _what_?"

Kise takes a breath and in the moment his eyes reopen, Aomine sees steady, readied, steel yellow. "No questions asked," The blond repeats, this time, firm and insistent. "Now hurry up. Just on my neck."

Aomine is still dumbstruck and shook and- and just wonderfully articulate as ever. "Why?"

Kise shrugs offhandedly. His gaze slides off his black Reebooks like a raindrop rolling off a rooftop and fixes back on Aomine. "I like this guy."

Aomine blinks and it's almost embarrassing how that seems to be all he's capable of doing, but, _fuck, this is a lot of info to consume at the same time._ He blurts out, "...and you want me to help make him jealous?"

 _Fuck- the idea-_

 _Fuck that idea._

 _Fuck. It just sounds wrong._

Kise makes this weird face and this huffy sound of annoyance, and slowly, interlaced with pauses, says, "...not exactly. I mean... sure... let's go with that."

Aomine has no idea what to say now- he can't really back out, he doesn't have an excuse.

So they do.

So despite the little uncomfortable wiggly thing thrashing in Aomine's chest like a wild animal being held down, despite the fact that Kise can meet his gaze but can't hold it for more than three seconds, despite his ears feel like they're being grilled when he brushes his fingers past them on the way to his equally heated nape, Aomine mumbles, "So, uh, right here? I mean, in the middle of..."

He trails off. The school's after hours usually mean little students left; the seclusion of his spot behind the school's corner only serves to boost their privacy.

"Yeah. I guess." Kise says.

When he doesn't say anything else, Aomine mutters, "Fuck it."

(Because dammit, he's confused- Kise is confusing, this, all of this, whatever is happening is confusing-)

The next thing he knows, Kise is gasping, and not because of the soft cracked bark of the tree is jutting into his back. Aomine pays no heed, he's got the back of his hand behind Kise's head and his other palm, a little lower than Kise's shoulder for stability scraping against the same bark- Oh, and of course, his lips are moving up the junction of Kise's neck, on soft, warm skin, on one goddamn _Kise Ryouta._ Who has started mouthing soundlessly, dipping his head back to offer Aomine more.

The power forward takes the invitation, and then there's a hand tugging through his hair, holding Aomine where the owner wants him, and Aomine is swiping up the salty remnants of sweat induced by the warm weather with his tongue.

Eventually- _Aomine sure as fuck wasn't keeping track of the time-_ he pulls off, and then they are both staring at each other.

"So-"

"Well-"

"I-"

"Um-"

"Right-"

"Okay-"

Kise is the first one to speak... _coherently_. "I, uh, think you did it."

It is only then Aomine notices them. One just under the edge of his jaw, two right over his collarbone, and a fourth one, almost rebelliously in its prominence, just off the side of the center of Kise's neck. The collar of his blue button-up is askew, to say the least.

"Right, so, thank you, we're even now-" Kise continues, with unique rhythm. "See you later!"

Aomine blinks and Kise runs.

* * *

"Fuck," Aomine pants. The taste of Kise is pretty something, It's new, but intoxicating. It's new, but feels perfectly right. I's new, but Aomine wants it to become familiar until the day he jokes he's gotten tired of it.

(He pictures Kise rolling his eyes or laughing fondly before ironically, Aomine will counter his own words, leaning in to kiss Kise with all the passion he can't say with words.)

A maple leaf spirals into Kise's disheveled hair and nests there, a little red flower in rolling gold plains.

"Forgot to tell you-"

Aomine insistently covers Kise's mouth again, this time darting his tongue over the seam of Kise's lips and slipping in to play. When Kise finally breaks away, it's with a fond laugh. "You know, a wise guy once said, 'If something doesn't start the way you want it, at least make sure it ends the way you do.'"

"Wise guy, huh?" Aomine rumbles. Even he can hear how his naturally deep voice has gone husky with a matching mixture of amusement and affection. And he smirks."You mean you, smartass?"

Kise sticks out his tongue and Aomine fights the urge to nibble it- their faces are still too close-

"You know the rules, no questions asked." Kise teases.

Aomine doesn't miss the reference. _Oh well, rules are rules,_ he thinks, for once, enthusiastic about obedience.

Kise's happiness mixes with his own on his tongue. And the taste lingers.


	10. Lazy

"Dai-chan, let's go- _omg_ , I just wanted a nap, _I-can't-believe-you-let-me-oversleep-_ whydidn'tyou _call_ me…. WHY AREN'T YOU MOVING?"

From his bed, Aomine puts his magazine down on outstretched legs, regards Satsuki coolly, and yawns.

"Daiki."

Aomine side-eyes his captain several lengths in front of him, dribbling the ball with growing strength, displaying the parallel of his impatience.

"Daiki," Akashi begins again, inhaling slowly like his exasperation is robbing him of his breathing capability. "First of all, catch up and stay with the rest of the team." He whips the ball at the tips of Aomine's toes so it very nearly ricochets into his crotch. "And you're going to need to score ten more points today, or you'll do a hundred push-ups-"

Aomine raises his arm and not even the lengthy lunge, jump and outstretched arm from Murasakibara allows the shot to be blocked. _Swish._

"7 points left," Aomine says.

"Dinner is on the table, Daiki, come down!"

"My room is on the second floor, Kaa-san," Aomine chirps, shaking his earbuds loose so they fall into his hands. He double clicks his mouth and spontaneously, earns himself a satisfactory number of cookies splattering across his screen. "Come up!"

(It also leads to a hand across his cheek)

* * *

Aomine is considered lazy, but that's cool with him; he has insider's knowledge that Kise can be worse.

After they take the bus, tired from roughhousing, tired from trading childish playground insults, tired from the extra one-on-one they each insisted was only the result of each other's pleading (hell, Aomine secretly can't resist them, Kise is only more vocal about them), Kise whines about the homework he has to do while Aomine finds his key and shoves his stupid door open.

While Aomine takes his shoes off and places them on the side, Kise has already sprawled himself across the sofa meant for three people and turned on the TV. Channels flicker from news stations to commercial breaks to the one Kise finally stops at, this romantic comedic drama about this handsome, popular young guy meeting his childhood best friend turned first love in university.

In this episode, the guy's best friend asks the pretty girl out. In every episode, Kise is doing anything but his homework.

"Hey," Aomine says, leaving his stuff at the edge of the sofa. "Move over."

"Wait." Kise says, lying on his side, head awkwardly resting on his hands atop the couch arm.

Aomine rolls his eyes. And worms his way on, between Kise's back and the furniture's, enjoying how nice the cool leather is on his sweaty skin, and grimacing because he knows it will stick.

"You're so lazy," Aomine sighs, and the air he expels pushes Kise's baby neck hairs to the side and _oh._ Aomine twitches, something inside him twitches; he is a cat, and the exposed skin is a mouse offered for his enjoyment. He drags a loose arm over Kise's waist, and tastes salt and skin and _soft_ and Kise.

"Can't. Watching." Kise says, not moving, _not watching Aomine_.

Aomine huffs, petulant. He slowly moves his lips up the side of Kise's pale neck, treasuring each inch like Kise is made of priceless, shiny jewels and Aomine is so utterly unworthy of worshiping his beautiful, breathtaking god. And when Aomine eventually finds Kise's ear, he nibbles.

"Don't." Kise mutters. "Not now, not now, Taiki is about to get punched. Serves him right-"

Like an attention seeking pet, Aomine nudges Kise's chin with his nose, makes the blond lift it so Aomine can move closer, hum against his throat.

"-tryna steal Kiriha's girl like that-"

Aomine sweeps his lips across Kise's jawline, pulls up more and more, swipes his tongue over the corners of Kise's mouth.

"-god, what an ass-"

Aomine brushes his knuckles over Kise's butt, and that's what gets Kise to finally startle, turning his head back to look at Aomine, saying, "Daiki-!"

And Aomine kisses Kise, until he finally pulls back to see Kise has now fully turned around to face him, show long forgotten. Their faces are so close, Aomine can see each of Kise's freckles, which are usually covered up. _Aomine likes them immediately_. They're just as aesthetically pleasing sight of the rest of Kise's face, with his pupils are blown wide, and mouth slightly open- maybe from surprise, but also maybe because he wanted Aomine to continue.

"You," Aomine says, and for coming from him, the word sounds so goofy, so silly with almost too much affection, he pauses until deeming it safe to give his voice another try. "You are _so_ much more lazier than I am."

"Am not-"

"So much work, just to get you to kiss me." Aomine presses on, shaking his head mockingly.

"Could've just asked." Kise grins, raising his head to peck Aomine's nose one, twice. And Kise is fond and sweet and gentle, but that's not going to make Aomine forget, _so lazy._


	11. Just Date Me Already

The first time it happens, they are in second period biology, right before lunch. Some of their classmates watch and egg them on, other roll their eyes and walk away. The supply teacher remains at his own table, scrolling through his phone with one hand, occasionally fixing the two of them with mild but meaningless glances.

"Three," Kise says, locking eyes with Aomine.

"Two," Aomine says, resting his elbows on the counter top.

There is one minute to the bell and they are trading spitballs over their lab table.

Aomine fires first- _he always does_ \- but Kise retaliates, shot for shot. Sometime when Aomine lets out a grunt after being hit on the tip of his nose and Kise has white little flecks dappling his blond mop of hair, a brunette from one of the desks in front of them walks over to Aomine's side of the table.

Kise fires one last spitball. Aomine makes a big show of swiping it away and then turns sideways to take in the girl. She doesn't even come up to his shoulder and has rather dull-looking brown eyes, but she's curvy in all the places he likes. He grins and says, "Hey."

The girl's gaze flicker to Kise for a second. When her attention returns, she offers Aomine an awkward half-smile but he can't make out the following mumble.

"What?"

The girl is blushing now. "Um, I was wondering if Kise-kun - I mean Kise-sama -"

Aomine has already figured out where this is going. Somewhere he doesn't care for about.

He shows his irritation by letting his shoulders settle in a sigh. " _Look_ ," Aomine says, lowering his voice so his exasperation is better illuminated. "My boy, Kise? 's really busy. He knows he sucks at ball and he plans on practicing extra hard cause he's got in it his head he's gonna beat me. I'm not one to shit on dreams, so I'm supposed to be encouraging him by playing with him. He doesn't have any time to spend with you."

She wears a confused expression though most of his explanation but by his last sentence, she clears her throat, whispers, "Oh. Okay." and is hurrying away.

"Aominecchi," Kise calls, almost sing-song. Aomine's attention returns to see the blond has made his way over to his side and is slouching over the table with his head in his hands, elbows on the counter. He whistles, "Finally break your first heart? About time, loser."

"Oi! Say that again, asshole." Aomine wrestles him into a headlock, banging his elbow on the sink's neck-piece in the process. Kise flails but with his arms pinned under Aomine's, there's not much he can do in retaliation except rely on his main weapon, his loud, screechy raccoon voice.

When the bell rings, Aomine claps a hand over Kise's mouth and pulls him through the hallways so they can eat on the roof. Kise quiets down to a content hum.

* * *

The second time it happens, Aomine still doesn't really think much about it.

They're in study hall this time, in the library, even though it's a perfectly good day for a game of ball where they would play until they had stitches in their sides and had to put their hands on their knees, and then they would get watermelon flavored popsicles at the convenience store, the kind that are expensive but can be afforded with Kise's rich ass, as they walked back to school.

But no, they're in the library.

Kise has a open book over his head like some sort of lame hat as he plants his face into the wooden table to groan, "This is so _boooorrriing_ , Aominecchi."

"You think _you_ have to tell me that?" He retorts, leaning back in his chair, putting his feet up. "Why are we even still here?"

"Because I have to finish this chapter." Comes another groan.

"Then finish the chapter, you little whiny bitch." Aomine snarks.

"Rude," Kise sighs. But he obeys, staring at his textbook with a frown. At least he's actually trying now, Aomine thinks.

"I'm going to go take a walk." Aomine tells him. "You better be finished when I come back."

He receives incoherent mumbles.

Aomine walks past the history shelves, the fictional section, and almost makes it to the literature sector. But when he feels a tap on his shoulder, he throws a look at his shoulder and sees a doe-eyed female in sleek black hair that cascades over her shoulders that blinks up at him with an expression that makes her seem almost surprised as Aomine is. She shoves a folded piece of paper into his hand, a note that he only takes as a instinctual reaction, and then runs away before either of them say a word.

Aomine barely hesitates before he's unfolding the note, reading,

 _Dear Kise-kun,_

(Oh. She wants him to be the messenger, Aomine figures.)

 _I don't know if you remember me but I had class with you last year. Ever since you helped me with my English after school, I couldn't stop thinking about you-_

But Aomine can stop reading the idiotic note. He folds it back up, noting how the creases look blunt, like she'd read it over and over again to make sure he'd like it.

Aomine looks up, assuring himself he's alone, out of eye-shot from a certain blond - _he truly doesn't care if the girl sees, she can just shove it._ Then, he tears it up. One stroke, two stroke, then it's little pieces of confetti he's shoving into his pockets.

When he gets back to Kise's table, he yanks a fist of the blond's hair. Kise lets out a shrill protest and then they're being asked to leave by the two stern librarians normally at the front desk.

Kise hisses something about how this is all Aomine's fault. He replies, almost bored, that there was still enough time to head down to the store across the street. Kise snorts, says something about how Aomine never even really listens to him.

They choose ice cream sandwiches today.

* * *

Akashi asks them to watch the second-string in a practice match to help identify potential candidates for their first-string next year. Aomine and Kise resort to excusing themselves between groans of, "Ah, my stomach hurts!", "Really? Mine feels fine- _Ow!_ _Why would you do that, you ass_ \- I mean, _Akashicchi_ , I gotta go to the washroom."

In the change room, they pull out their phones and strike up a heated match on NBA All Stars.

Aomine wins the first game with ease.

"Damn, Aominecchi. Looks like you're actually decent at basketball." Kise sighs, standing up, pulling his arms over his head in a stretch.

A shoe connects with his ass.

Kise yelps.

"Shut up, pretty boy." Aomine sticks a hand out. "Go away and do something useful while I pick out a better lineup for you."

Kise hands over his phone with a grin playing on his lips. For what, Aomine has no clue, but Kise doesn't say anything else before he walks out the changing room and back onto the court.

Aomine debates between a few of his personal favorites versus the team with the most team chemistry and jolts when it suddenly vibrates. Aomine fumbles with it for a second and he must've pressed the stupid green _Accept Call_ button because an irritatingly high-pitched, most definitely feminine voice even more traumatically whiny than Kise's - which is saying _something-_ is blaring through.

"Hey, sweetheart, it's me, Rika from 2-A? My friend gave me your number and so like, I was thinking- if you're not busy after school, let's hang out at the movies. They're playing 'Last First Love' again, and I heard that was one of your favorite's-"

Aomine had officially lost interest at, ' _Hey_ ,' Now, he lets out a low, growling rumble of, "Look, I don't know who you are. Don't care. Don't know how you got my number, but delete it. Don't call me again."

There's a part of him that wants to laugh at how the caller has gone absolutely silent, probably with shock, maybe a touch of mortification- though he bites his tongue and waits patiently.

"Oh, I'm- sorry, I must have the wrong number-" She stammers, voice uncertain. There's a bit of rough crackling like she's thrown a hand over the speaker to yell at her friend without letting Aomine hear her.

"Delete it." He repeats, the growl in his voice growing louder.

"Oh okay," Comes the hurried reply. The call clicks off and Aomine hangs up too, finally rewarding himself a well-earned smirk.

Kise struts back in, grinning in reply to Aomine's expression. "Something nice happen? What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Aomine says. He knows the corners of his mouth just keep expanding.

"What, what?" Kise persists, looking rather interested, like he thinks Aomine has gossip. "Did you finally get a girl to say yes to your ugly face?

Aomine ushers him out of the changing room with a couple of bossy shoves. When Akashi looks at them through narrowed eyes, Aomine readies himself, but Akashi nods and says they should try to get in some practice today.

They play just a little longer after official practice ends, because Aomine still can't quite work his mouth into the shape for, _No_.

Though he does manage, " _Hurry up, loser, give me the ball_."

Smiling comes even easier.

* * *

As the days get longer, time spent on the court does too. Eventually, they start using the sun as a clock, playing long past school hours, under a sky that bleeds from blue to orange. Sometimes, if they've had practice beforehand and they're tired or Aomine is just in a mood or Kise says he has a lot of homework, they'll pick up their belongings scattered across the pavement and trudge over to Aomine's house.

After they kick off their shoes, Kise tends to leave his stuff right atop Aomine's, but he's still the host, so, " _Kise, stop talking back, no, I don't care."_

He flops onto the couch, burying his head in the armrest, taking in the leather scent, trying to ignore his own.

"Aominecchi, move over." A whine gets him to look up. Kise exhales. "I'm more tired than you are, remember?"

Aomine squints. He's almost sure Kise is trying to play him- _dumb, prideful blond would never say shit like that_ \- but lying down on his stomach is uncomfortable anyways. He sits upright. The leather is cool against his exposed calves, but the place where his shoulder brushes Kise's is warm.

 _Tingles_ , even.

"What do you want to do?" He asks, reaching forwards, grabbing the TV remote from the messy coffee table. "We could stream a movie. I heard..." He pauses, urging his brain on. " _Last First Love_ was a half-decent movie."

A dribble of silence that follows but there's only so much heat his ears can take before he has to lower his eyes and talk to the ground. "What?"

" _Last First Love?_ " Kise asks. In Aomine's peripheral vision, he sees the blond inching closer, then he feels the weighted set of a jaw on his shoulder. Can feel it gently pressured as Kise moves his mouth, "Aominecchi, I- I have no idea where you heard that-"

"Somewhere," Aomine grumbles. "Who cares. Are we watching it or not?"

Kise has already snatched the remote, flipping through Aomine's streaming program with a gleeful expression. "Was that a rhetorical question?"

"Was yours?" Aomine retorts.

Kise flips him off, but there's a playful glint in his eyes. "Shush. it's my favorite movie."

"I know that," Aomine defends himself, and before he realizes it, he has followed up with, "Why d'you think I chose it?"

There's a tiny pause where Aomine notes his hands are oddly damp. He would think Kise hadn't heard him but the blond begins to hum to the soft orchestral music drifting into the room, letting them know the movie has started. The spot where Kise's loose t-shirt clings onto his feels like it burns but Aomine doesn't relieve it.

Three minutes into the movie when they watch an undeniably pretty foreigner with hair even yellower than Kise's and eyes the color of seawater storming out her apartment, Kise casually says, "You know, I took my first girlfriend to this movie."

Aomine picks at the dirt under his nails, keeping his eyes on the screen.

The actress gets into the elevator, selects her floor, humming along to some trashy elevator music Aomine doesn't recognize. Kise says, "You know, I haven't gotten confessed to all week long. It's a miracle."

Aomine makes an noncommittal sound in his throat.

"Though, y'know, I was kinda waiting..." Kise's speech has interjected confusing little pauses. "Hoping... this one person... would man up..."

"Man up?" Aomine blurts out. His gaze finally snaps towards Kise. " _Man up_?"

There's a whole lot of odd, fluttery movement in his stomach now, because what- _what does that even mean_?

Is it a figure of speech? Or does Kise... like... a _guy_?

The stupid frantic thing in Aomine's stomach starts wiggling, and in his head, everything finally clicks in.

Kise... has a guy, has _someone_ he likes. Someone he probably wants to hold hands with as they walk to the theater together. Someone he probably wants to text all the time, even when he's in class and he's supposed to be studying. Someone he probably wants to wrap his arms around and nudge, and brush up against, all the damn time-

"Yeah." Kise frowns, biting a lip, knitting his eyebrows. "Though maybe he wasn't being cowardly, maybe he was just being stupid. Because, y'know, he can be stupid... all the time."

Where before, Aomine had had a fit of... whatever that emotion had been, he now fuels up on concentrated irritation. "That's rich, coming from you." He scoffs. Part of him urges him to shut up before he digs himself into a hole, the other part of him knows he has already done that.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know," Aomine tosses his head, looking away from the other. Man, the piece of lint on his left sock feels more welcoming at this point. "What do you want it to mean?"

 _Ow._

Aomine's head whips around, giving Kise the full wrath of his glare. "You shit."

Kise shrugs, unconcerned. _Apparently_ , he doesn't remember attacking first is basically asking Aomine to beat his dumb ass. But then Kise opens his mouth, then Kise is saying,"Aominecchi, have you ever wondered whether you were dense?"

"Hahh?" He says, articulate as ever. His heart is reacting acting oddly, beating faster. Maybe, yes, probably, why does he even care? "What are you going on about, baka?"

Kise groans, low and annoyed, and for a second, Aomine figures he's going to get punched for some act of offense he doesn't remember doing. The next thing he knows, Kise's lips are burning up his.

 _Fuck,_ Aomine thinks, before not thinking anymore.

He vaguely remembers twisting his tongue against Kise's and slender fingers threading through his hair with the right mix of care and passion. Then Kise stops leaning in, takes the hand on the couch in between them back and stares.

Aomine stares right back. The first time he tries to voice the mess of thoughts into coherent words, he fails remarkably. The second time, he gives a hoarse murmur, "What- what was that?"

"...damn, you're stupid, " Kise says after a moment, exasperation in voice and in facial expression- though the latter of the two allows itself a touch of fondness, before he looks away. And when he swipes a hand over the strands of yellow Aomine had tousled, fingering them like they told him, made him believe- _this was really happening,_ he grumbles, "Just date me already."

Aomine never really could say no.


End file.
